Asterand, Inc.

DETROIT, May 11 /PRNewswire/ -- Asterand announced today the availability of a cell line that offers researchers an important tool in the study of breast cancer. The cell line, known as MCF10DCIS.com, will be valuable for the testing of chemopreventive agents and for screening cancer causing agents, in addition to screening anticancer drugs. "MCF10DCIS.com is one of a set of panel of MCF10 cell lines that were derived from normal mammary cells from a single patient that became spontaneously immortalized," says Asterand's Chief Scientific officer Dr. James Eliason. "This makes the MCF10DCIS.com cell line particularly valuable for genetic analysis of breast cancer. The line is particularly interesting for study because it represents a form of breast cancer known as ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS), which has become increasingly common in recent years, accounting for approximately 25-30% of newly diagnosed cases of breast cancer." The line reproduces the comedo form of DCIS, which accounts for about 40% of cases. Patients diagnosed with this type of DCIS have a higher likelihood of reoccurrence and a worse prognosis. "MCF10DCIS.com is an important addition to our growing portfolio of immortalized cell lines that Asterand can offer to the research community," says Dr. Eliason. They include other cell lines for breast cancer known as the SUM lines, as well as cell lines for leukemia, pancreatic cancer, macroglobulinemia and prostate cancer. The cell line is being made available to commercial and academic researchers under an exclusive license from the Karmanos Cancer Institute at Wayne State University. "Our mission is to assist the drug discovery industry develop new therapeutics at less cost and get them into the Phase 1 clinical trials with the best possible chance of success," says Asterand CEO Randal Charlton. "We offer services at the critical Phase ZERO(TM), or pre-clinical drug development in human tissues." The company maintains research laboratories in Detroit, Michigan and Royston, England from where it offers the drug discovery industry a comprehensive tissue bank, cell lines plus a broad range of tissue based research services. Full information on the MCF10DCIS.com cell line and other offerings is available on . Asterand is a UK public company symbol: ATD Contact: Dr. Victoria Blanc or Dr. James Eliason at 313-263-0960. Asterand CONTACT: Dr. Victoria Blanc or Dr. James Eliason of Asterand,+1-313-263-0960 Web site: