Sentinel Biomedical Launches New Non-Invasive Laboratory Analysis

Increases sensitivity to detect canine bladder and prostate cancers to over 95 percent, enhances implications for human cancer detection

Raleigh, NC /PRNewswire/ - Sentinel Biomedical Inc., a Raleigh, N.C.-based comparative health company, today announced the availability of CADET® BRAF-PLUS, a powerful new add-on for its CADET® BRAFproduct. Together, these veterinary tools detect over 95 percent of canine bladder and prostate cancers and also enhance the company's mission to understand more about human cancers. CADET® BRAF and CADET® BRAF-PLUS are available direct to veterinarians, exclusively from Sentinel Biomedical.

This exciting advancement was made possible through intensive research by Sentinel Biomedical, in collaboration with Dr. Matthew Breen's research group at the NC State University College of Veterinary Medicine.

When Sentinel Biomedical made CADET® BRAF available in late 2016, it debuted as the world's first non-invasive, reliable, liquid biopsy approach to aid detection of canine urothelial carcinoma. Users of CADET® BRAF are also offered the opportunity to participate in a nationwide research study designed to provide new insight into these cancers.

"The level of engagement of these citizen scientists has been truly remarkable. As a result of their eager involvement, we validated CADET® BRAF-PLUS on thousands of canine urine specimens, and are delighted to unveil this new solution, allowing us to now detect over 95 percent of canine bladder and prostate cancers from a free-catch urine sample," said Dr. Breen, co-founder and president of Sentinel Biomedical. "As part of our mission to work with dogs and their owners, we are accumulating data to help us identify potential environmental influences associated with these cancers in both dogs and humans. Our shared environment and remarkably similar genetics highlight the role of our dogs as sentinels of human health."

Canine urothelial carcinoma (UC), also known as transitional cell carcinoma (TCC), is the most common cancer affecting the canine bladder and prostate, diagnosed in more than 80,000 dogs in the U.S. each year. There are likely more than 2 million dogs each year that exhibit clinical signs commonly associated with this cancer. Using state-of-the-art molecular CAncer DETection, CADET® BRAF analyzes free-catch urine to detect 85 percent of cases of canine urothelial carcinoma. For dogs presenting with clinical signs, CADET® BRAF PLUS uses the same urine specimen processed for CADET® BRAF. By detecting more than two-thirds of the 15 percent of urothelial carcinoma cases that are not associated with the CADET® BRAF mutation, use of CADET® BRAF PLUS takes the overall sensitivity to detect canine UC to over 95 percent. CADET® BRAF-PLUS is recommended as an add-on analysis when the CADET® BRAF mutation is not detected in dogs showing clinical signs of bladder/prostate cancer.

NC State Professor of Internal Medicine, and past president of the American Society of Veterinary Nephrology and Urology, Dr. Shelly Vaden DVM, PhD, DACVIM, said, "The rapid uptake of CADET® BRAF by the veterinary profession over the past year is testimony to the need for this non-invasive tool, and also reflects the high quality of the product as a result of rigorous research at NC State. Over the past year, we have also used CADET® BRAF-PLUS in the clinic as part of the validation study. This add-on has helped us detect more cases of UC where the dog has clinical signs, but is not positive with CADET® BRAF. I am delighted that CADET® BRAF-PLUS is now accessible to the broader veterinary community."

About Sentinel Biomedical
Sentinel Biomedical is a pioneering comparative health company committed to research and scientific innovation. The company's primary focus is investigating canine cancers and identifying biological changes and environmental influences that may be shared with human cancers, making canines true watchdogs in the area of human health. By taking a comparative approach to research, the company aspires to accelerate the pace of cancer-related discoveries leading to improved diagnosis, treatment and patient outcomes. Sentinel Biomedical created the nation's first and most reliable early detection system to allow for rapid results and early intervention for canine bladder and prostate cancer. It continues to develop innovative products supported by robust research, proven science and leading oncology experts.

Headquartered at North Carolina State University's Centennial Biomedical Campus in Raleigh, N.C., the company was formed in 2015 by Matthew Breen, PhD CBiol FRSB, University Distinguished Professor, and a team of highly experienced researchers. Learn more at SentinelBiomedical.com.