Targeted Diagnostics and Therapeutics ("TDT") was founded in August 1994 to commercialize the proprietary platform technologies developed in the laboratories of Dr. Scott A. Waldman, M.D., Ph.D., at Thomas Jefferson University in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. TDT entered into a long-term research agreement with Thomas Jefferson University, and funds continuing research and development efforts in the Waldman laboratories in exchange for worldwide exclusive rights to the platform technology and the intellectual property resulting from the sponsored research.

TDT's application of this technology to colorectal cancer is based upon Dr. Waldman's discovery of a unique cell surface receptor found exclusively on colorectal cancer cells and not on any normal or other cancer cells outside the gastrointestinal tract. This receptor provides an ideal marker for detecting colorectal cancer cells that have spread beyond the intestine. TDT's resultant molecular-based tests are so sensitive that they can detect a single cancer cell in 10 million normal cells.

Therefore, this technology will yield many applications for improving the management of cancer patients. In colorectal cancer, work is underway to develop:
Post-surgical
in vitro diagnostic to detect cancer cells in lymph nodes		 Definitive detection of colorectal cancer metastases beyond the intestinal tract to improve the accuracy of disease staging
Post-surgical
in vitro diagnostic to detect circulating cancer cells in peripheral blood		 Highly specific test to determine whether a patient has developed recurrent colorectal cancer

In vivo imaging agent

 Identification and localization of metastatic tumors employing imaging techniques
In vivo targeted therapeutics Target chemotherapy agents to destroy only colorectal cancer cells, not normal cells or tissues

TDT Improves Colorectal Cancer Testing

Post colorectal surgery mortality rates of nearly 50% have remained largely unchanged for the past 40 years. This is due, at least in part, to the lack of specific diagnostic markers to accurately detect the spread (metastasis) of the cancer.

Historically, physicians have had to rely upon subjective evaluation of tissue samples (i.e. histopathology using standard microscopy) to identify metastases. Although this approach is subjective, time consuming and susceptible to sampling error, it has remained the standard of care. Similarly, post-surgical monitoring of patients for recurrent disease relies on serial measurements of carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA), a protein produced by colorectal and other tumors. Unfortunately, CEA monitoring detects less than 60% of recurrent disease and has high false positive and false negative rates.

Consequently, there is an unmet medical need for highly specific colorectal cancer tests that facilitate accurate staging of patients at the time of surgery, and can be employed subsequently to monitor patients for disease recurrence during routine post-operative surveillance. TDT's tests can meet that need.