Overview

Exact Sciences Corp. is an applied genomics company that has developed proprietary technologies that may be used for the early detection of several common cancers. It is focusing on colorectal cancer for the first application of its technologies.

Its technologies include a three-step sample collection and preparation process and four DNA-based analytical methods to identify DNA tumor markers for colorectal cancer. The analytical methods include Multiple Mutation Detection, which detects a base point mutation within a cancer-related gene; Deletion Technology, which detects short deletions and insertions in the BAT-26 mononucleotide marker to identify cancers associated with deficiencies in the normal DNA mismatch repair mechanism; the DNA Integrity Assay (DIA), which detects longer human DNA fragments that are associated with genetic abnormalities that may lead to cancer; and the Enumerated Loss of Heterozygosity (e-LOH), a statistical methodology that uses single nucleotide polymorphisms as markers to identify the loss of a missing gene that may be associated with many cancers.

Exact Sciences believes that widespread and periodic application of these non-invasive technologies will reduce the mortality, morbidity and health care costs associated with these diseases.

In November 2001, Exact Sciences acquired intellectual property surrounding Mosaic Technologies Inc.’s Hybrigel technology. This technology, together with Exact Sciences’ genomics-based technologies, will simplify the sample preparation process used by Exact Sciences for molecular diagnostic applications.

Partners

Licensing of Exact’s proprietary genomics-based technologies: Laboratory Corp. of America Holdings.