A Medical Device Daily

Allegro Diagnostics (Boston) a company in the field of molecular diagnostics for lung cancer, has reported that its clinical study for BronchoGen, a diagnostic test for patients suspected of having lung cancer, will receive up to $2.8 million in funding for a Phase I/II Fast Track Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) grant from the National Cancer Institute (Rockville, Maryland).

This groundbreaking clinical study is enrolling up to 800 patients at 12 sites in the U.S. If successful, BronchoGen would be a first in class, novel test in an area of significant unmet medical need.

"The NCI support for our trial is highly encouraging news for current or former smokers at risk for lung cancer, and will propel the development of BronchoGen. It will also help Allegro Diagnostics extend its scientific platform into other areas," said Dan Rippy, president/CEO of Allegro. "Lung cancer patients generally have a very poor prognosis because most are diagnosed with late stage disease. BronchoGen may help clinicians to detect disease earlier and reduce unnecessary medical procedures in those patients who do not have lung cancer."