OMAHA, Neb.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--

Transgenomic, Inc. (TBIO) today announced the commercial launch of its ICE COLD-PCR mutation detection technology, a breakthrough technology enabling unmatched sensitivity and complete DNA mutation detection using the standard sequencing equipment already installed in laboratories around the world. The launch coincides with the 2012 annual meeting of the American Society of Clinical Oncology.

ICE COLD-PCR is capable of identifying mutation frequencies as low or lower than 0.01% which surpasses the limits of currently available mutation detection tests. This extremely high sensitivity enables detection of mutations from virtually any sample type including tissue biopsies, blood, and circulating tumor cells (CTCs). Mutation profiling from blood and CTCs may benefit cancer patients because it avoids the risks of additional surgical procedures while providing an up-to-date picture of any additional mutations the cancer may have acquired throughout treatment.

An ICE COLD-PCR kit for enrichment of KRAS mutations is now available worldwide to molecular diagnostic laboratories for use with standard DNA sequencing equipment. Transgenomic plans to expand the ICE COLD-PCR testing platform to include other therapeutically relevant mutations including BRAF, EGFR, and PIK3CA.

The broad use of ICE COLD-PCR has the potential to revolutionize cancer screening, diagnosis, monitoring, and therapy selection said Craig Tuttle, Chief Executive Officer of Transgenomic. It offers us the ability to accurately perform safer, less invasive, and more frequent assessments of a cancer and its mutations, all through a simple blood draw. Ultimately, the goal is to provide real-time monitoring of cancer progression, resistance mutations and response to therapy. With the proliferation of targeted anti-cancer drugs now available or in clinical trials, ICE COLD-PCR will help determine the right path for each patient at every step of his or her treatment, making precision medicine even more precise.

Mr. Tuttle added: ICE COLD-PCR provides extreme sensitivity and coverage to ensure that mutations are not missed, both are needed for reliable mutation profiling from blood, CTCs, and small sample sizes. Because it is used with the sequencing equipment already installed in labs around the world, we expect broad and sustained adoption of this technology, with kit sales beginning this year. Each of the markets addressed by ICE COLD-PCR diagnosis, monitoring, and disease recurrence is substantial, providing a significant value-creation opportunity for Transgenomic.

ICE COLD-PCR technology was developed in collaboration with the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and is supported by multiple validation studies confirming reproducible mutation detection at very high sensitivity up to 1,000 times more sensitive than traditional PCR techniques. The technology is also being evaluated in an ongoing study with The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center to analyze DNA isolated from CTCs.

About Transgenomic, Inc.

Transgenomic, Inc. (www.transgenomic.com) is a global biotechnology company advancing personalized medicine in cancer and inherited diseases through its proprietary molecular technologies and world-class clinical and research services. The Company has three complementary business divisions: Transgenomic Pharmacogenomic Services is a contract research laboratory that specializes in supporting all phases of pre-clinical and clinical trials for oncology drugs in development, Transgenomic Clinical Laboratories, which specializes in molecular diagnostics for cardiology, neurology, mitochondrial disorders, and oncology, and Transgenomic Diagnostic Tools which produces equipment, reagents, and other consumables that empower clinical and research applications in molecular testing and cytogenetics. Transgenomic believes there is significant opportunity for continued growth across all three businesses by leveraging their synergistic capabilities, technologies, and expertise. The Company actively develops and acquires new technology and other intellectual property that strengthen its leadership in personalized medicine.

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Transgenomic Launches Breakthrough Blood-Based Cancer Gene Testing Technology at 2012 ASCO Annual Meeting