The Novazym Laboratory from Poznań and the Polish State Medical Institute of the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Administration in Warsaw have started cooperating on a screening study in which the effectiveness of COLOTECT™ 1.0 test is compared with colonoscopy.

The study covers 1,000 patients and is conducted by Prof. Grażyna Rydzewska from the Department of Gastroenterology of the Central Clinical Hospital of the Ministry of the Interior and Administration.

The scientists received consent from the Bioethics Committee and began collecting samples for research.

COLOTECT™ 1.0 is the first non-invasive 3-marker epigenetic test that allows the detection of colorectal cancer and precancerous lesions at an early stage, which may significantly impact the effectiveness of treatment. This non-invasive home sampling multi-target fecal DNA test is recommended every 3 years for a regular colorectal cancer detection, helping detect colorectal cancer early, even before any symptoms.

Due to its high sensitivity and specificity, this is the first test comparable to the gold standard, colonoscopy.

In addition to this, one of the notable advantages of COLOTECT™ 1.0 is its non-restrictive nature, as it does not require dietary modifications nor medication adjustments prior to the test. It comes with a simple and intuitive procedure that allows the subject to conveniently collect stool samples in the privacy of their own homes, following the provided instructions in the kit.

"Making such a test available may significantly contribute to increasing the number of screening tests for colorectal cancer, a disease responsible for thousands of unnecessary deaths annually in Poland," said Prof. Rydzewska.

Novazym Laboratory also announced that they have signed an agreement with Warsaw Medicover Hospital, where patients can now access COLOTECT™ 1.0. Hospital specialists can refer their patients for testing, and Novazym Laboratory will be responsible for providing sample collection kits and conducting tests on the provided materials.

Novazym Laboratory is a partner of BGI Genomics, the manufacturer of COLOTECT™ 1.0, in Poland.

About Novazym Laboratory

Novazym Laboratory is a company operating in the biotechnology field and has been providing innovative solutions for the Polish medical and scientific sectors since 2004, contributing to elevating public health and the quality of life of Polish people.

About BGI Genomics

BGI Genomics, headquartered in Shenzhen, China, is the world's leading integrated solutions provider of precision medicine. Our services cover more than 100 countries and regions, involving more than 2,300 medical institutions. In July 2017, as a subsidiary of BGI Group, BGI Genomics (300676.SZ) was officially listed on the Shenzhen Stock Exchange.