OICR invests $500,000 in new technology to identify cancer biomarkers

Toronto, July 21, 2008 – Dr. Tom Hudson, President and Scientific Director of the Ontario Institute for Cancer Research (OICR) today announced the investment of $500,000 in DVS Sciences Inc., for novel technology to facilitate the identification of biomarkers to study and diagnose cancer.

DVS Sciences Inc. is a Toronto-based company that uses inorganic mass spectrometry to identify the molecular signatures, called biomarkers, of cancer cells. Inorganic mass spectrometry is considered to be an especially promising technology because it uses metal atom tags to identify biomarkers instead of the fluorescent dyes currently used in labs. These tags will allow researchers to simultaneously measure multiple biomarker signatures in a single analysis, creating a more efficient method for biomarker identification and giving researchers a powerful new tool to understand how cancer develops.

The money will be used by DVS Sciences to continue early commercial development of their innovative technology.

“By providing funding for innovative start-up companies like DVS Sciences, we hope to develop important new tools for researchers to find solutions to the cancer problem and develop therapies to help people living with cancer worldwide,” said Dr. Tom Hudson, President and Scientific Director of OICR.

“We are privileged to be working with OICR on the development of this project,” said Dr. Scott Tanner, President of DVS Sciences. “We feel we have a tool that can have a major impact on how efficiently cancer researchers identify biomarkers. OICR’s investment ensures this technology will be developed in Ontario and will provide new avenues for cancer research and therapy.”

OICR will actively participate in efforts to commercialize the project by providing additional expertise and resources and working collaboratively with the company and its scientists.

DVS Sciences, Inc. is an analytical equipment and reagents development company based at the University of Toronto. DVS is committed to being the developer of robust, innovative instrumentation, reagents and consumables that accelerate medical research, enable personalized therapeutic diagnosis and prognosis and transform drug discovery via highly multiplexed bio-analysis.

The Ontario Institute for Cancer Research is a centre of excellence, moving Ontario to the forefront of discovery and innovation. It is dedicated to research in prevention, early detection, diagnosis, treatment and control of cancer. OICR is a not-for-profit corporation funded by the Government of Ontario through the Ministry of Research and Innovation.

Contact:
Rhea Cohen
Director of Communications
E-mail: rhea.cohen@oicr.on.ca
Telephone: 416-673-6642
Mobile: 416-671-2846