Biohit Oyj September 19, 2013 at 5 P.M. local time (EET)
In collaboration with the Medical Center of the President’s affairs Administration of the Republic of Kazakhstan and Biohit Oyj, a population-based screening with the GastroPanel test was conducted in Astana (2012-2013), of which the final results are now available. A hospital-derived cohort of over 800 subjects were tested using the GastroPanel assay, which is a simple blood test measuring the serum levels of four stomach-specific biomarkers. This test is designed for two purposes: 1) as the first-line diagnostic tool for all patients complaining dyspeptic symptoms, and 2) for screening of the specific stomach conditions associated with an increased risk for developing gastric cancer. Gastric cancer remains to be among the leading causes of cancer mortality worldwide, and Kazakhstan belongs among the high-incidence countries of gastric cancer.
The scientific report on these Kazakhstan screening results has been accepted for publication in a widely distributed international cancer journal: Anticancer Research 2013;33(10). The results of this Kazakhstan study are markedly different from those previously reported in similar type of studies e.g. in the Nordic countries. Whereas in Finland, nearly 80% of the individuals at the same age groups had perfectly normal results in GastroPanel test, the corresponding proportion in Kazakhstan was only 23%. Similarly, the proportion of Helicobacter pylori infection in Kazakhstan was remarkably high (62.3%), as contrasted to Finland, where Helicobacter prevalence currently falls below 10%.
Most alarming, however, in these results was the unexpectedly high prevalence (14.1%) of atrophic gastritis (atrophy of the stomach mucosa), which is a well-established precursor lesion of gastric cancer. As compared with the figures in Finland, this prevalence of atrophic gastritis in Kazakhstan is several-fold higher, states CEO Semi Korpela, Biohit Oyj.
Chief medical Director Kari Syrjänen, Biohit Oyj: ”The authors concluded that in countries like Kazakhstan where the annual incidence of gastric cancer (>20 cases per 100.000 inhabitants; vs. 8/100.000 in Finland) is alarmingly high, the GastroPanel test developed by Biohit Oyj should be the cost-effective diagnostic tool for large-scale, population-based screening of gastric cancer.”
Additional information:
CEO Semi Korpela, Biohit Oyj
tel. +358 9 773 861
investor.relations@biohit.fi
www.biohithealthcare.com
Biohit in brief
Biohit Oyj is a globally operating Finnish biotechnology company established in 1988. Biohit's mission is "Innovating for Health". The purpose of the company is to take social responsibility and produce innovation, new technologies and analysis systems for use in medicine, research institutions and industry, helping to promote research and diagnostics and to improve the quality of life of people by preventing disease, human suffering and financial loss. We are committed to social responsibility and it is our duty to spread knowledge about the Group I human carcinogen, acetaldehyde, and innovate and develop the marketing and availability of our products and services. Biohit is headquartered in Helsinki, Finland and its subsidiaries are located in China, Italy and the United Kingdom. Since 1999, Biohit's series B shares (BIOBV) have been listed in the NASDAQ OMX Helsinki Oy Small cap/Healthcare sector. www.biohithealthcare.com