Signal Genetics Announces Commercialization Partnership with NeoGenomics Laboratories for Multiple Myeloma Gene Expression Test

NEW YORK, May 26, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Signal Genetics, the parent company of Myeloma Health LLC and Respira Health LLC, a privately held predictive genetic testing company focused on oncology, announced today a new agreement under which NeoGenomics Laboratories will offer Signal Genetics' new gene expression profile test for Multiple Myeloma (MyPRS™) to pathologists and hospital-based hematologists/oncologists nationwide.

Myeloma Prognostic Risk Signature™ (MyPRS) offers the most detailed expression profiling information for multiple myeloma patients available on the market. MyPRS analyzes and applies a proprietary algorithm to a defined number of relevant genes to determine the gene expression profile associated with the patient's condition. The gene expression profiling behind MyPRS allows physicians to gain a predictive view of their patient's prognosis, enabling truly personalized treatment options.  The technology has been published in more than 70 peer-reviewed scientific journals and is powered by the world's largest outcomes database for multiple myeloma patients.

Douglas VanOort, Chairman and CEO of NeoGenomics, stated, "Our new partnership with Signal Genetics provides broad access to this important new prognostic marker for patients with Multiple Myeloma and complements our strategy of bringing novel products to our customers.  The agreement also provides NeoGenomics a right of first negotiation to market any genomic and transcriptomic-based diagnostic tests developed and/or introduced by Signal in the future to pathologists and hospital-based oncologists/hematologists."  

Under the terms of the agreement, the MyPRS test  will be performed at Signal Genetics' CLIA-certified laboratory based in Little Rock, Arkansas and the test results will be incorporated into NeoGenomics' test reports and provided to their customers along with other ancillary diagnostic tests.  

According to Joe Hernandez, CEO of Signal Genetics, "This Agreement represents another important milestone in our commercialization plan for our Myeloma Prognostic Risk Signature (MyPRS) test.  NeoGenomics is an industry leader in serving the needs of pathologists and hospital-based hematologists/oncologists.  Further, it expands our partnerships with key players in the molecular diagnostics marketplace and provides potential vehicles by which to commercialize additional products currently in our pipeline.  MyPRS is currently available nationally to community-based hematologists and medical oncologists through a similar arrangement with Caris Life Sciences."

About Signal Genetics

Signal Genetics, the parent company of Myeloma Health and Respira Health, is a privately held predictive genetic testing company focused on helping cancer patients. The goal of Signal Genetics is to provide cancer patients and their physicians with novel and innovative insights into their disease, including predictive outcome of disease stage, odds of relapse, and the optimal treatment regimen based on their specific genetic expression profile. Additional information is available at www.signalgenetics.com.

About NeoGenomics

NeoGenomics Laboratories, Inc. operates a network of high-complexity CLIA–certified clinical laboratories that specialize in cancer genetics diagnostic testing, the fastest growing segment of the laboratory industry.  The company's testing services include cytogenetics, fluorescence in-situ hybridization (FISH), flow cytometry, morphology studies, anatomic pathology and molecular genetic testing.  Headquartered in Fort Myers, FL, NeoGenomics has labs in Nashville, TN, Irvine, CA and Fort Myers and services the needs of pathologists, oncologists, urologists, and hospitals throughout the United States. For additional information about NeoGenomics, visit http://www.neogenomics.com.  

SOURCE Signal Genetics