Israeli start-up Zetiq Technologies Ltd., a subsidiary of Bio-Light Israeli Life Sciences Investments Ltd. (TASE:BOLT), has completed development of its diagnostic kit for cancerous cells, and plans to begin marketing them immediately to research institutes. The company does not need US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval for this purpose.
Research institutes are not Zetiq’s primary target market. Although the company is currently seeking distributors, it does not expect major sales from this sector. The company plans to continue development of its kits for both diagnostic and drug development uses.
Zetiq has developed techniques for differential marking of specific cell populations at very early stages. Normal and malignant cells stain differently when exposed to the company’s system. This enables fast and precise detection of rare cell types within a larger population of cells and distinguish between normal and malignant cells.
Zetiq’s first target market for its cancer diagnostic kit is for the early detection of uterine cancer. The company says that it is making progress in this area, but cannot yet talk about a timetable for a product launch. This will require regulatory approval and is a more complicated process.
Published by Globes [online], Israel business news - www.globes.co.il - on July 11, 2007
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