DiBiCol Offers a New Standard for Gastrointestinal Disease Classification

InDex's first diagnostic product on the market is a novel PCR-based diagnostic test that enables discrimination of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) subtypes - ulcerative colitis (UC) versus Crohn's disease (CD) - as well as discrimination of IBD versus the less severe condition irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). Today, up to a third of all the approximately 130,000 annually diagnosed IBD patients in Europe and US may be misdiagnosed. Also, there are some 300,000 IBD patients that have not been firmly diagnosed after years of investigations (so called unclassified IBD, or IBDU).

DiBiCol requires only a single biopsy of colon tissue and utilizes the expression profile of seven specific marker genes, together with a specially designed algorithm for data analysis. The test has been validated in three clinical trials in more than 300 patients, and the method was described in the June 2008 issue of Gastroenterology (von Stein P et al, 134:1869-81), together with a highlighting editorial.

The test is currently being launched in Sweden in collaboration with Aleris Medilab, a Swedish commercial lab that provides service to gastrointestinal specialist doctors. Outside the Nordic region, a process has been initiated to out-license the DiBiColtechnology to larger diagnostic lab service providers with strong market presence in their respective regions.

InDex plans to provide DiBiCol testing directly to pharmaceutical companies that carry out clinical trials in the IBD/IBS field, offering improved trial quality by more accurate disease classification.

If you want to order the DiBiCol test, please contact:

Siv Östberg, Aleris Medilab
Phone: +46 8 792 93 17
E-mail: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

If you want further information about the method, please contact:

Eva Brandström or Petra von Stein, InDex Pharmaceuticals
Phone: +46 8 508 847 30
E-mail: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
E-mail: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD)

>3 million IBD patients (EU/US)

Approx 130,000 new cases (EU/US) each year

Often takes years to distinguish UC from CD

IBS often mistaken for IBD

To order the DiBiCol test (health care personnel), please contact:
Siv Östberg, Aleris Medilab
Phone: +46 8 792 93 17
E-mail: siv.ostberg@aleris.se

For further information about the method, please contact:
Eva Brandström or Petra von Stein, InDex Pharmaceuticals
Phone: +46 8 508 847 30
E-mail: eva.brandstrom@indexpharmab.com
E-mail: petra.stein@indexpharmab.com