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PRECEDE: PancREatic Cancer Early DEtection

Periodic Reporting for period 1 - PRECEDE (PRECEDE: PancREatic Cancer Early DEtection)

Reporting period: 2014-10-01 to 2015-03-31

An EU Parliament magazine special supplement on tackling pancreatic cancer ‘Making a Difference’ (November 2014) identified pancreatic cancer as representing a critical public health challenge for which EU institutions, together with the member states, should take urgent measures, with early diagnosis being prioritised. Pancreatic cancer is the only cancer for which mortality is predicted to increase in both men and women in 2015 and beyond. It has been predicted that pancreatic cancer will be the second greatest cause of cancer death by 2020. With few effective treatment options available for pancreatic cancer, the resulting 5-year survival rates are among the lowest at <5%, of any cancer. The high mortality rate of pancreatic cancer is due primarily to lack of specific symptoms, so patients present with advanced metastatic disease, making the cancer inoperable. The development of effective screening tests, preferably a blood based biomarker, to identify patients at an earlier stage of pancreatic cancer may improve outcomes and increase survival. The objective was to create a clinical development and business plan for the commercialisation of a pancreatic cancer screening test for high risk individuals.
With support from Horizon 2020, Abcodia has developed a business plan for the clinical validation of a pancreatic cancer screening test for individuals that are deemed as high risk for the disease that is based on longitudinal analysis of CA19.9. The plan informs the parameters for the clinical validation, IP and regulatory strategy, investment required and return on investment.
The test will ultimately be marketed for screening high risk individuals for pancreatic cancer. This cancer is the only cancer with a predicted worsening of mortality and is a high priority for EU governments. Early diagnosis, before patients are symptomatic, is crucial to reversing this trend. Abcodia hopes this test will help detect pancreatic cancer in high risk individuals earlier, thereby increasing treatment options and improving outcomes for these patients.
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