The New Zealand-developed genetic lung cancer risk test, Respiragene™, has been launched in the UK by European market-leader Lab 21, a specialist in predictive, personalised diagnostics.

Respiragene™ was launched in New Zealand in June and already seventy (70) doctors have said they would like to recommend the test to their patients. It is designed to identify the highest risk individuals among patients who are current or former smokers.

"Lab 21's commitment to making Respiragene™ available in its key markets echoes the keen interest we are seeing from New Zealand doctors in having a new tool to engage with smokers," says inventor Dr Robert Young, an Associate Professor at The University of Auckland.

Dr Young first introduced the test and its key benefits to fellow physicians at the national General Practice Conference held in Rotorua (12-14 June).

Dr Young is now in London to present the test with Lab21 to the UK National Smoking Cessation Conference (22-24 June).

Lung cancer is the most lethal of the common cancers. Half of all patients die within one year of diagnosis and 80 percent die within two years. However, lung cancer risk can be lowered by quitting smoking, and survival rates improve dramatically if the disease is detected early.

"All smokers face an increased risk of developing lung cancer, among a many other serious health problems, but for some individuals the risk is much greater than for others," says Dr Young.

"With this test, doctors will be able to identify those at greatest risk for while there is still time to help them."

The test, which obtains patient DNA from a simple mouth swab, is the first in the world to provide a personalised estimate of lung cancer risk, by combining results of DNA analysis with other known risk factors for the disease (age, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and family history of lung cancer).

"I think this test can be a very useful tool to engage smokers and to highlight to them their personal risks for lung cancer," says Dr Rob Wallace, an Auckland-based general practitioner who expects to offer the test to his patients. "This can be valuable information."

The test generates a score placing smokers and ex-smokers into one of three categories. A "Moderate Risk" score means the person has a risk of developing lung cancer about the same as an average smoker. Average smokers are up to 20 to 30 times more likely to develop lung cancer than non-smokers, and about one in 10 smokers at moderate risk will develop lung cancer.

People categorised as "High Risk" are about four times more likely than an average smoker to get lung cancer, and those at "Very High Risk" are about 10 times more likely to get the disease.

The test is being commercialized by Synergenz Bioscience Ltd, established as a spin off from Auckland University in 2004, to develop Dr Young's breakthrough research in pulmonary disease susceptibility.

For more information about the test, visit www.synergenz.com Email: lungrisk.nz@synergenz.com Tel: 0800 LUNG RISK for individual attention

Media and interview contacts
Prue Scott, Communications Adviser
Ph: +64 27 488 7078
Email: prue.scott@xtra.co.nz

Dr Rob Young
Mobile in London: +44 (0)7818 233 002

Notes

Synergenz BioScience Ltd. specialises in genetic tests for respiratory medicine. It was formed in 2004 to develop technologies discovered by Dr Robert Young as part of his research at The University of Auckland, which was initially funded with the assistance of the Health Research Council of New Zealand. The company was spun off from Auckland UniServices Ltd. (www.synergenz.com)

Lab21 - www.lab21.com  

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