Patented prostate cancer biomarkers.

Prostate cancer is the most frequently diagnosed cancer in men. However, current diagnostic techniques (including serum PSA level measurement) lack sufficient specificity and sensitivity to determine the aggressiveness of the disease and to identify appropriate treatment. Additional reliable biomarkers are needed that can facilitate early diagnosis of prostate cancer, determine the patient's prognosis and predict responses to a given therapeutic intervention. To achieve clinical utility, biomarkers require the potential for commercialization, and such an investment is generally only made if a financial return is promised. Patenting is one way to protect the intellectual property surrounding such biomarkers and several patented biomarkers are being developed, although few have been validated in large-scale clinical trials.