• Category ‘Innovation in Immuno-Transcriptomics for Early Detection of Colorectal Cancer’


• Award recognizes excellence in innovation and impact in early detection of cancer

LAUSANNE, SWITZERLAND - July 22, 2021 – Novigenix SA, a leading Swiss biotech that develops and commercializes Immuno-Transcriptomic precision oncology solutions, today announced that it has been awarded the 2021 Felix Burda Award in the Medicine & Science category.

The Felix Burda Award was created in 2003 in Munich, Germany by the Felix Burda Foundation to honor individuals and teams having made outstanding contributions to the prevention and early detection of colorectal cancer. The foundation has established an independent Jury of leading figures from academia and medical practice to preside over evaluation of nominations and selection of winner of the Award in the Medicine & Science category.

 

Dr. Berndt Birkner, member of the Felix Burda Award Jury and chairman of the working group for medical quality management in the professional association of German internists said:

"Like other human tumors, colorectal cancer triggers a cellular immune response from white blood cells in circulation and in the bone marrow. These white blood cells, which are used for tumorous angiogenesis and metastasis express biomarkers that can be detected in the blood using special mRNA detection methods. Of course, it would be easier for a doctor to diagnose changes in the intestine in this way. The Jurors and I hope that this new solution will revive the discussion about the type of early detection in Germany."

 

Professor Christoph Beglinger, former chief physician of the Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, University Hospital Basel, added:

“Colorectal cancer usually arises from benign polyps that take about 10 years to develop into cancer. In order to detect colon cancer at an early-stage medical guidelines currently recommend stool tests or a colonoscopy. The development of a convenient blood test that enables the early detection of colorectal cancer through interrogation of patient’s immune cells is a fascinating development that opens up completely new possibilities for preventing colorectal cancer.”

 

Dr. Brian Hashemi, Executive Chairman of Novigenix said:

‘We are honored for this prestigious award and recognition of a decade’s work that has led to our advanced precision oncology platform leveraging patient’s immune cell mRNA signatures for disease detection and therapy optimization. mRNA therapeutics have already played an important role in COVID vaccine development and the Novigenix mRNA/ImmunoTranscriptomic platform can help accelerate early disease detection and support development of new therapeutic solutions. I would like to recognize the work of the scientific team at Novigenix, and thank the thousands of patients, investigators, and prescribing physicians that have made valuable contribution to the development of this life saving technology.’