Epigenomics granted two EPO patents

Epigenomics, a German molecular diagnostics company focusing on the development and commercialization of products for cancer detection based  on DNA methylation, has received notifications that the European Patent  Office intends to grant two patents for the firm's PITX2 DNA methylation  biomarker (mPITX2).

This notification is equivalent to a Notice of Allowance by the US  Patent and Trademark Office. Patent application EP1831399, covers very  broadly the use of Epigenomics' mPITX2 biomarker in the prognosis of  prostate cancer. The second patent application, EP1554407, applies to  the use of mPITX2 in the prediction of the response of breast cancer  patients to adjuvant antihormonal therapy. Equivalent patent  applications are also pending in the USA, Japan, Australia and Canada.

The mPITX2 biomarker is at the core of Epigenomics' prostate cancer  prognosis test that indicates the risk of early disease recurrence  following a surgical removal of the cancerous prostate. In October 2008,  Epigenomics successfully validated the biomarker using a fully developed  test system for this application.