TORONTO, ON / ACCESSWIRE / December 9, 2019 / StageZero Life Sciences, Limited (TSX:SZLS) (''StageZero'' or the ''Company''), a life sciences company specializing in blood-based biomarker tests for early cancer detection, announced today that it has expanded its multi-year licensing agreement with Oncore Pharma, Inc.
According to the Company, Oncore Pharma, in addition to commercializing ColonSentry under the exclusive 5-year licensing agreement, will now add BreastSentry and the Prostate Health Index to its offering. The initial agreement with Oncore Pharma for ColonSentry has the aim to deploy a total of 1,750,000 tests over the next 5 years. The addition of BreastSentry and Prostate Health Index will add significantly to this.
Under the terms of the agreement, Oncore Pharma and its partners will bear all costs of marketing and distributing the tests, as well as collection of the test samples and shipping to StageZero's laboratory in Richmond, Virginia. StageZero will receive a fixed fee for processing and reporting the tests. Additionally, StageZero has received 1 million common shares of Oncore Pharma and will receive a special royalty payment equal to 10% of Oncore's yearly profits.
"We created Oncore Pharma to focus specifically on research, development and commercialization of Oncology products and ColonSentry is exactly the type of diagnostic test the market needs and our customers demand," said Martin Verronneau, the President and CEO of Oncore Pharma Inc. "With the recent publication in Breast Cancer following the NCRI Cancer Conference of Glasgow, we have been asked to expand our offering with BreastSentry™ and the Prostate Health Index, to allow for screening of multiple cancers," further added Mr Verronneau.
"There is significant interest in being able to screen easily and routinely for multiple cancers, and our tests meet this need," said James Howard-Tripp, Chairman and CEO of StageZero Life Sciences, Ltd. "Our combined ability to engage with patients, particularly in the early detection of cancers like colorectal, breast and prostate, are very topical in Europe and in demand. Oncore Pharma's experience in bringing products to market, coupled with their scientific knowledge, provides our company with a great advantage. BodyCheck NL, Oncore Pharma's partner in the Benelux countries, has indicated they will initiate testing during the first quarter of next year (2020)," added Mr. Howard-Tripp.
About StageZero Life Sciences
StageZero Life Sciences is dedicated to the early detection of cancer and multiple disease states through whole blood. Aristotle®, our next generation test, is a panel for simultaneously screening for 10 cancers from a single sample of blood with high sensitivity and specificity for each cancer. Aristotle is built on our proven and proprietary Sentinel Principle Technology Platform which has been validated on 10,000 patients and used to develop the first liquid biopsy for Colorectal Cancer, with further validation currently underway. In addition to building a pipeline of products for early cancer detection, the Company operates a CAP accredited and CLIA certified reference laboratory based in Richmond, Virginia that offers the ColonSentry® test as well as licensed biomarker tests for lung, breast and prostate cancers. To learn more visit www.stagezerolifesciences.com.
About Oncore Pharma
Oncore Pharma is a company specializing in the research, development and commercialization of Oncology products and services.
James R. Howard-Tripp
Chairman & CEO
[email protected]
Tel: 1-855-420-7140 Ext. 1
Jerome Cliche
Financial Communication Advisor
[email protected]
Tel. (514) 815-8799
SOURCE: StageZero Life Sciences Ltd