GE Healthcare Licenses Genomic Biomarker for Lung Cancer from Insight Genetics

  GE Healthcare Licenses Genomic Biomarker for Lung Cancer from Insight
  Genetics

   GE’s Clarient Diagnostic Services to develop PCR-based test to identify
                 patients who have ALK-positive lung cancers

Business Wire

ALISO VIEJO, Calif. and NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- May 31, 2012

Clarient Diagnostic Services, Inc., a GE Healthcare company, and molecular
diagnostics company Insight Genetics, Inc., today announced a worldwide
licensing agreement for intellectual property from Insight Genetics, granting
Clarient rights to develop a genetic test covering the ALK (anaplastic
lymphoma kinase) biomarker, a promising target for several classes of cancer
drugs.

As a result of the Agreement, Clarient intends to develop and evaluate the
performance characteristics of a quantitative PCR-based test that detects
increased transcription of the ALK gene. Rearrangements involving the ALK gene
are implicated in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and other cancers.
Several therapeutics compounds, known as ALK inhibitors, are in clinical
trials and one, Xalkori®, has been approved by the US Food and Drug
Administration (FDA). Since only patients with ALK fusions are likely to
respond to ALK inhibitors, accurate diagnostic screening is essential before
prescribing ALK-targeted drugs.

“The National Comprehensive Cancer Network guidelines now suggest ALK testing
as a standard measure for all non-small cell lung cancer patients due to the
development of therapies targeting ALK inhibition,” said Kenneth J. Bloom, MD,
chief medical officer of Clarient. “Our agreement with Insight Genetics is
another example of our mission of translating biomarker discovery to aid the
development of new therapeutics and to assist physicians in determining the
eligibility of their patients to receive the most appropriate therapy.”

“Insight and Clarient share a dedication to enhancing personalized cancer
care,” said Eric Dahlhauser, Chairman and CEO of Insight Genetics. “We’re
pleased to work with Clarient, a leader in cancer diagnostics with a strong
commitment to developing tests that address targeted therapies, toward
advancing this common goal.”

In addition to the proven role it plays in select lung cancers, ALK has been
found to have a pathogenic role in many cancers including diffuse large B-cell
lymphoma, inflammatory myofibroblastic tumor, esophageal squamous cell
carcinoma, colorectal cancer and breast cancer. It is estimated that more than
250,000 new cancer diagnoses in the U.S. each year can be linked to ALK
mutations and fusions.

A commitment to cancer

Building on its 50 years in the oncology space, in September 2011 GE, through
healthymagination, announced a new commitment to take cancer research,
diagnostics and treatment to the next level. The company committed to
accelerate cancer innovation by investing $1 billion in cancer technology
research and development as well as improve care for 10 million cancer
patients around the world by 2020.

In tandem with that announcement, GE and several partners launched a $100
million open innovation cancer challenge, an open call to action seeking ideas
to accelerate early detection and enable more personalized treatment for
breast cancer. GE and its venture capital partners pledged up to $100 million
to fund breakthrough ideas that help healthcare professionals better
understand triple negative cancer pathways, and the molecular similarities
between breast cancer and other solid tumors.

The challenge garnered more than 500 ideas from 40 countries, sparking robust
conversations among more than 200 academic institutions and researchers on the
Challenge’s open innovation platform.In March 2012 the first five innovation
award winners were announced. The five innovation award winners have the
potential to help doctors find cancer earlier, make more accurate diagnoses
and choose the best possible treatment based on each patient’s unique cancer.
Learn more here.

About GE Healthcare

GE Healthcare provides transformational medical technologies and services that
are shaping a new age of patient care. Our broad expertise in medical imaging
and information technologies, medical diagnostics, patient monitoring systems,
drug discovery, biopharmaceutical manufacturing technologies, performance
improvement and performance solutions services help our customers to deliver
better care to more people around the world at a lower cost. In addition,
we partner with healthcare leaders, striving to leverage the global policy
change necessary to implement a successful shift to sustainable healthcare
systems.

Our "healthymagination" vision for the future invites the world to join us on
our journey as we continuously develop innovations focused on reducing costs,
increasing access and improving quality around the world. Headquartered in the
United Kingdom, GE Healthcare is a unit of General Electric Company (NYSE:
GE). Worldwide, GE Healthcare employees are committed to serving healthcare
professionals and their patients in more than 100 countries. For more
information about GE Healthcare, visit our web site at www.gehealthcare.com.

For our latest news, please visit http://newsroom.gehealthcare.com.

About Clarient Diagnostic Services, Inc.

Clarient Diagnostic Services, Inc. - a GE Healthcare Company - is a leading
provider of comprehensive, cancer–diagnostic laboratory services. With its
advanced technologies, Clarient is able to provide pathologists and oncologist
with more accurate and detailed information to better characterize and assess
cancer which can lead to more accurate diagnoses and more effective treatment.
In addition, Clarient’s services are finding more efficient ways to reduce the
cost as well as accelerating the drug development process to identify and
develop treating pharmaceuticals that can result in better outcomes for
patients.

From its state-of-the-art diagnostic laboratory to its Internet-based
PATHSiTE®, Clarient delivers advanced oncology diagnostic services to
pathologists, oncologists, hospitals and biopharmaceutical companies
throughout the U.S. Clarient also is developing proprietary companion
diagnostic tests for therapeutics in breast, prostate, lung and colon cancers,
as well as leukemia/lymphoma.

Clarient is improving the lives of those affected by cancer by bringing
clarity to a complex disease.

For more information visit www.clarientinc.com.

About Insight Genetics

Insight Genetics is a molecular diagnostics company focused on enhancing
personalized cancer care. The company’s companion diagnostics detect specific
cancer biomarkers related to therapeutics that are currently in development or
on the market. Insight partners with leading academic researchers,
pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies, clinical reference laboratories,
and IVD kit manufacturers to provide new standards of care for cancer patients
worldwide. www.insightgeneticsinc.com

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Contact:

GE Healthcare
Scott Lerman, 609-514-6346 (office)
609-937-9253 (mobile)
scott.lerman@ge.com
or
Insight Genetics
Nicole Cottrill, 615-327-7799
ncottrill@seigenthaler.com