NAMUR, Belgium, Nov. 11, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- VolitionRx Limited (OTCQB: VNRX), a life sciences company focused on developing blood-based diagnostic tests, today announced that it has entered an agreement with the University of Oxford, United Kingdom, to initiate a clinical study that will assess VolitionRx's proprietary Nucleosomics^® platform technology for the diagnosis of endometriosis through a simple blood test.  Under the agreement, The University of Oxford will provide VolitionRx with serum and plasma samples from approximately 350 patients with endometriosis and 150 control patients over a period of two years. The samples are donated by participating women through the biospecimen repository of the Oxford Endometriosis CaRe Centre.

Endometriosis is a common and painful condition in which endometrial tissue, which normally lines the cavity of the uterus, grows in other parts of the body[1]. It is a benign condition with a strong inflammatory component, which makes the disease a good candidate for Volition's NuQ^® assays. The condition mostly affects women during their reproductive life span, and is a leading cause of difficulty conceiving. Unfortunately, there are currently no clinically useful biomarkers available for this condition, meaning diagnosis is only possible by performing minimally invasive surgery (laparoscopy). Across the world, this typically results in a delay in diagnosis of nearly 7 years[2].

The prospective study will focus on the development of a simple blood test to help clinicians diagnose endometriosis at an earlier stage. The 350-patient sample collection, supplemented with approximately 150 retrospectively-collected samples, will comprise healthy and endometriosis-positive individuals confirmed by laparoscopy. Differences in circulating nucleosomes will be evaluated across the menstrual cycle using VolitionRx's Nucleosomics^® technology platform.

Collection of the samples will be led by Prof Christian Becker and Prof Krina Zondervan, of the Nuffield Department of Obstetrics & Gynaecology, University of Oxford, who are co-Directors of the Endometriosis CaRe Centre, Oxford. The Centre is a world leader in endometriosis research and clinical care and is dedicated to improve the life of women affected by the disease. The study will assess the samples collected from patients undergoing laparoscopic surgery for endometriosis-related symptoms or patients undergoing laparoscopic tubal sterilisation. Sample collection is anticipated to end in 2016 as part of an ongoing biospecimen collection and biobanking program.

"We are excited to sign this agreement with the University of Oxford," commented Dr. Mark Eccleston, VolitionRx's Collaborations Manager. "We look forward to assessing the potential of our test in the diagnosis of endometriosis and to build on our ongoing work in cancer screening by exploring applications of our NuQ^® assays in diseases beyond cancer."

Prof Becker said: "We are looking forward to the results of this study. It compliments our ongoing efforts in the Endometriosis CaRe Centre of identifying non-invasive biomarkers for endometriosis which will be an essential step towards improved patient care."

In addition to this study, other clinical trials assessing the effectiveness of VolitionRx's assays include:

• A 4,800 patient retrospective study and an 14,000 patient prospective study in colorectal cancer at Hvidovre Hospital, University of Copenhagen, Denmark
• A 4,000 patient prospective study that involves patients with the 20 most prevalent cancers at University Hospital in Bonn, Germany
• A 250 patient study in colorectal cancer at CHU-UCL Mont Godinne Hospital, Belgium
• A study with MD Anderson, Texas, to establish the efficacy of VolitionRx's NuQ^® tests to distinguish anaplastic prostate cancer, a particularly aggressive form of the disease, from typical castration resistant prostate cancer (CRPC), the less aggressive form.

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About VolitionRx

VolitionRx is a life sciences company focused on developing blood-based diagnostic tests. The tests are based on the science of Nucleosomics which is the practice of identifying and measuring nucleosomes in the bloodstream – an indication that cancer is present.

VolitionRx's goal is to make the tests as common and simple to use, for both patients and doctors, as existing diabetic and cholesterol blood tests. VolitionRx's research and development activities are currently centred in Belgium as the company focuses on bringing its diagnostic products to market first in Europe, then in the US and ultimately, worldwide.

Visit VolitionRx's website (www.volitionrx.com) or connect with us via Twitter, LinkedIn or Facebook.

Media Contacts

Charlotte Reynolds, VolitionRx
Charlotte.Reynolds@volitionrx.com  
Telephone: +44 (0) 795 217 7498

Kirsten Thomas, The Ruth Group
kthomas@theruthgroup.com  
Telephone: +1 (646) 536-7014

Investor Contacts

Scott Powell, Investor Relations
S.Powell@volitionrx.com
Telephone: +1 (646) 650-1351

Lee Roth, The Ruth Group
lroth@theruthgroup.com            
Telephone: +1 (646) 536-7012

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SOURCE VolitionRX Ltd