Milestone successfully delivered: 3rd Street Diagnostics and QMUL Licence agreement – Development of a diagnostic test for the early detection of pancreatic cancer

The second instalment of a licence payment was received by QMUL from 3rd Street Diagnostics in October under the terms of a Licence Agreement signed last year. This followed the successful evaluation of patient samples in a diagnostic test by 3rd Street Diagnostics for the early detection of Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma (PDAC), devised and developed at QMUL by Principal Investigator Dr Tatjana Crnogorac- Jurcevic. The Licence includes milestone and royalty payments to QMUL  from 3rd Street Diagnostics as a result of the successful sale of the test.

3rd Street Diagnostics are collaborating with QMUL to further develop a standardised test kit to be used in a clinical study. The plan is to then advance this urine-based test to the stage of approved use for patients for the early detection of PDAC.

PDAC, the most common form of pancreatic cancer, usually presents with symptoms at an advanced stage of disease offering the patient limited options for clinical intervention. Only around 5% of patients survive their cancer for five years, or more, and according to CRUK, pancreatic cancer survival has not improved in the UK for 40 years. In the early stages of PDAC symptoms rarely appear, making diagnosis difficult.

3rd Street Diagnostics is the Diagnostics Development Unit of the  Cedars-Sinai Medical Centre. 3rd Street acquired  a global licence to two QMUL patent families that identify specific PDAC biomarkers.