Press Release!
Amplified Sciences announced today that it has secured an exclusive global license to a patent from the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF) that helps enable PanCystPro, the company’s first product offered as a Lab Developed Test in their CLIA laboratory.
PanCystPro helps risk-stratify patients diagnosed with pancreatic cystic lesions who are at higher risk of developing pancreatic cancer. This multi-analyte test leverages a novel protease turnover assay for gastricsin, an enzyme that is atypically found in the pancreas thus providing biological insight into the cyst’s potential for malignancy. The assay represents a new method of targeting enzymes as biomarkers in precision medicine.
The gastricsin assay technology originated in the laboratory of Charles Craik, PhD, Professor of Pharmaceutical Chemistry at UCSF, whose research team was instrumental in its discovery and development. Dr. Craik has produced groundbreaking research on the role of enzymes in diagnosing disease and as potential therapeutic targets. “We are excited to see our work move from the research bench to the clinic,” said Dr. Craik. “By partnering with Amplified Sciences, we are able to translate this scientific innovation into real-world impact for patients.”
“Amplified Sciences’ test represents an important leap forward in our ability to make informed clinical decisions in the management of patients diagnosed with pancreatic cystic lesions, a known precursor for pancreatic cancer,” said Dr. Kimberly Kirkwood, Professor of Surgery in the Division of Surgical Oncology. “We are thrilled to see our early work on the discovery of enzymes in pre-cancerous lesions translate into clinical tests that are now available to our patients. Having access to highly accurate tests like those developed by Amplified Sciences allows physicians to better identify patients at higher pancreatic cancer risk who would benefit from surgery while avoiding unnecessary procedures for those at very low risk.”
PanCystPro, Amplified Sciences’ first test, has undergone testing and validation as a lab-developed test and is offered in their CLIA lab in Irvine, California.
The exclusive license agreement from UCSF exemplifies UCSF's commitment to advancing health care solutions through strategic partnerships with industry leaders. To secure the license and create a win-win partnership, Amplified Sciences worked closely with UCSF Innovation Ventures, which leads business development and licensing efforts on behalf of UCSF.
“We are thrilled to partner with UCSF in bringing a novel enzymatic activity detection method to life on the Amplified Sciences’ BioMatra platform,” said Diana Caldwell, CEO of Amplified Sciences. “Our partnership goes back several years, including clinical research collaboration leveraging Dr. Kirkwood’s expertise in the field and critical pancreatic cyst biobank resources. And long before that, my co-founder Jo Davisson worked with Charly at UCSF in the same department early in their careers.”
The company is currently enrolling sites in a Clinical Utility study and plans to launch an Early Access Program later this year, with UCSF as the first healthcare system able to offer the test to patients.
Caldwell states, “Our goal is to make PanCystPro accessible, ensuring that patients and healthcare providers receive timely answers regarding their potential risk of pancreatic cancer. The UCSF partnership enables us to make progress towards our vision of a world transformed by earlier and more precise disease detection.”
About Amplified Sciences
Amplified Sciences is a life science diagnostics company focused on providing innovative diagnostic tests that enable earlier detection, risk stratification, and monitoring of serious diseases. BioMatraTM, the company’s ultrasensitive optical reporter platform, leverages technology licensed from Purdue University. Its headquarters are in West Lafayette, Indiana, and the CLIA-certified clinical lab is located in Irvine, California. To learn more about Amplified Sciences, visit amplifiedsciences.com.
About UCSF
The University of California, San Francisco (UCSF) is exclusively focused on the health sciences and is dedicated to promoting health worldwide through advanced biomedical research, graduate-level education in the life sciences and health professions, and excellence in patient care. UCSF Health, which serves as UCSF’s primary academic medical center, includes top-ranked specialty hospitals and other clinical programs and has affiliations throughout the Bay Area. UCSF School of Medicine also has a regional campus in Fresno. Learn more at ucsf.edu or see our Fact Sheet.
About UCSF Innovation Ventures
Innovation Ventures works closely with UCSF's researchers, faculty, staff, and students to protect, develop, and commercialize UCSF innovation. To facilitate commercialization, Innovation Ventures establishes industry partnerships, negotiates and executes licensing agreements, and starts new companies.