The other Items

1. Diagnosis of cervical cancer
- Cervical cancer is the second most commonly diagnosed female cancer in the world after breast cancer, and ranks the third in death of female cancer after breast and lung cancer.
- Cervical cancer is known to be caused by environmental factors. Especially more than 90% cervical cancer are caused by Human papillomaviruse (HPV).
- When the infected HPV virus remains independent without being inserted into the human gene, the protein of HPV called E7 is not expressed and dose not cause cervical cancer. In the other hand, when the HPV virus is inserted into the human gene, E7 protein is expressed to develop cervical cancer.

2. Needs
- HPVs have more than 140 genotypes, and most of which are classified to the low risk group that does not cause cervical cancer. The high risk group to cause cancer is less than 20 genotypes.
- Among the high-risk HPVs, types 16 and 18 are found in 70-80% of all cervical cancer patients.
- To cause cervical cancer, E7 protein, an HPV-derived carcinogenic protein, must be expressed.
- E7 protein causes cervical cancer by modifying its function in combination with proteins related to cell division and immunity in the human body.
- There are generally two current diagnostic methods for cervical cancer, the Pap smear method to stain cells and to classify their cell types and the HPV DNA test to identify HPV genotypes.
- HPV DNA testing alone does not give any information about whether the E7 protein, a carcinogenic protein, is actually expressed or not.
- In addition to the HPV DNA testing, the expression of E7 protein should be tested, enabling patient care through early diagnosis of cervical cancer.

3. The VEUS system for diagnosis of cervical cancer
- We are developing E7 protein test using the VEUS technology. Currently, the E7 protein expressed in cervical cancer cells is present in very low concentrations and the E7 protein itself is very unstable. Therefore, there are no diagnostic system to test the E7 protein worldwide yet. To solve this problem, ultra high sensitivity technologies to detect the E7 protein and protein extraction and stabilization methods must be designed and developed. The VEUS system can be suitable for detection of the E7 protein.

The γ-interferon diagnostic kit is under development.

The hsTnl diagnostic kit is under development.