Cancer screening pioneer joins Clinical Genomics

Biotech company Clinical Genomics has announced clinical diagnostics pioneer Howard Chandler as its inaugural Emeritus Scientist. The appointment effectively sees Chandler return to the company he co-founded as Enterix in 1997, which was taken over by Clinical Genomics in October 2013.

Chandler is the author of numerous scientific publications and has over 36 issued patents. A range of companies has marketed products based on his patents, such as Abbott Laboratories, Alere, Beckman-Coulter Primary Care Diagnostics, Becton Dickinson, Binax, CSL, Glaxo Welcome, AMRAD-ICT, Agen Biomedical, Synbiotics and Quest Diagnostics.

Chandler is also the inventor of the patient-friendly ‘brush’ form of faecal immunochemical test (FIT), which he describes as “a significant advance in the screening of colorectal cancer”. His technology revolutionised bowel cancer screening and is currently used to test millions of people in the US and Australia.

“[Chandler’s] talent to invent incredibly simple solutions to save lives and to make medical decisions easier has benefited millions of people around the world,” noted Clinical Genomics CEO Dr Lawrence LaPointe. “More recently, his work in colorectal cancer screening and monitoring kicked off the wave of modern tests we now see used in screening programs.”

As Clinical Genomics Emeritus Scientist, Chandler will have a leading part in the development of future technology. Dr LaPointe said the company will benefit greatly from Chandler’s appointment, stating, “He will play an important role in shaping our product offerings in the future.”

This appointment follows a year of international expansion for Clinical Genomics, most recently in the Asia-Pacific region with the announcement of new deals in New Zealand and the Philippines. Chandler said, “Coming back into the company as it is expanding internationally and having further success with their groundbreaking blood test for colorectal cancer is very exciting.”