Posted by Article on 5/23/2002, 4:03 pm

PRESS RELEASE For immediate publication A New, Quick and Minimally-Invasive Diagnostic Tool for Endometriosis, A Disease that Affects Six Million Women in North America PROCREA BIOSCIENCES LAUNCHES METRIOTEST™ MOUNT-ROYAL – February 26, 2002 – PROCREA BioSciences launches MetrioTest, a quick and minimally-invasive diagnostic tool for endometriosis, a somewhat baffling disease affecting six million women in North America and 90 million worldwide. PROCREA BioSciences’ R&D scientific personnel working in collaboration with several Quebec gynaecologists gave rise to this breakthrough. A leading cause of infertility, endometriosis is one of the most widespread gynaecological diseases affecting anywhere from 5 to 15% of women of childbearing age and between 20 to 40% of infertile women. The most common symptoms associated with endometriosis are chronic pelvic or abdominal pain, irregular bleeding and may also include back pain and intestinal disorders. MetrioTest is an uncomplicated procedure that simply calls for an endometrium biopsy and a blood sample. A single 15-minute session carried out in the doctor’s office, without anaesthesia is all that is needed to collect the samples required. MetrioTest will identify women with a high probability of suffering from endometriosis by detecting several immunological markers in the endometrium (a mucous membrane coating the inside of the uterus) as well as a biochemical serum marker. With a specificity rate of 95% and a positive predictive value (the probability of having the disease once the diagnosis comes back positive) of more than 90%, MetrioTest is an extremely reliable diagnostic tool. "In response to the concerns and expectations of both the medical community and the patients themselves, MetrioTest is our first generation in vitro diagnostic test for endometriosis”, declared Dr Patrice Hugo, CSO and Vice-President of PROCREA’s R&D Division. “Furthermore, within the framework of this research project headed by Dr Diane Gosselin, Chief of PROCREA’s Immunology Unit, more than 3,500 patients were recruited thanks to the cooperation of several hospitals in the province. This allowed us to create the world’s largest tissue banks for the study of endometriosis. We believe MetrioTest clearly positions Quebec as the leader in the field endometriosis research", he added. Mary Gregoric, Public Relations Coordinator of the Montreal Endometriosis Association is very pleased with the arrival of MetrioTest: "MetrioTest will give millions of women access to a reliable and minimally-invasive diagnosis which in turn, will assist their doctors in providing early treatment. In Canada, nearly 30,000 women are diagnosed with endometriosis each year." Currently, laparoscopy, a surgical procedure performed under general anaesthetic, is the most precise method available to diagnose endometriosis. However, 40% of laparoscopies are inconclusive and the invasive nature of the procedure may entail significant disadvantages for the patient. Furthermore, the waiting period for this type of surgery is usually of several months while MetrioTest results are available within two weeks. MetrioTest will be available in three Montreal area Sample Collection Centers in the Spring of this year; it will also be available in Quebec City and Toronto in the Fall and will appear on the American market at a later date. Persons interested in obtaining information on MetrioTest can either consult their physician or contact PROCREA. Founded in 1990, PROCREA BioSciences is a Canadian-based biotech firm, leader in the field of reproductive medicine. It gained its excellent reputation from its high success rate as well as the quality of services provided by its medical and professional staff. The company’s activities focus on a single objective: the use of biotechnology to innovate in the diagnosis, treatment and prevention of diseases related to reproductive medicine, specifically human genetics and infertility. PROCREA includes three interconnected business units: Clinical Services (mainly fertility clinics in Montreal and Quebec City), Diagnostic Laboratories (prenatal screening and diagnosis) and Research & Development (endometriosis and genomic mapping). Endometriosis Press Release Trade Shows Powerpoint Presentation (1.7MB) RealPlayer Presentation 1 2 3 4 Download RealPlayer additional information is available on the company’s Website at www.procrea.com. CONTACT: Sabrina Tremblay Opsis Communication & Marketing Tel.: (514) 393-8998 Cell.: (514) 992-6489 Hélène Girard, APR Director, Communications and Public Relations PROCREA BioSciences Tel.: (514) 345-9877 ext. 258

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