February 8, 2007
The CellSearch™ Circulating Tumor Cell (CTC) technology is developed by Immunicon Corporation (www.immunicon.com), and licensed to Veridex, Inc. (www.veridex.com) for clinical laboratory diagnostic applications.    This blood test captures, labels, sorts, images and enumerates tumor cells counted in a tube of blood.    A CTC count of 5 or more per 7.5ml of blood is a predictive marker of shorter progression free survival and overall survival. CTC levels can also be used in metastatic breast cancer patients to monitor treatment efficacy and to make informed treatment regimen decisions.    Carolina BioOncology Institute is the first to have this technology on-site in the Charlotte region.

This Veridex technology has been FDA approved for diagnostic use in Metastatic Breast Cancer and is reimbursed by most insurance companies.  

The CellSearch™ technology labels epithelial tumor cells that are shed into the blood with EpCAM (epithelial calcium adhesion marker) expressed on tumor cells, and an additional marker specific to cells of epithelial origin (cytokeratins 8, 18, and 19).  Epithelial tumor cells are then further distinguished from common leukocytes by the addition of CD45, a marker on leukocytes. The tumor cells are then counted and reported as the number of CTCs/7.5ml of whole blood.

The CellSearch™ platform and research program are under the direction of Bryan Greene, Ph.D.  Dr. Greene joined Carolina BioOncology Institute in the fall of 2006 as the Research Lab Director. Prior to joining Carolina BioOncology Institute, Dr. Greene was a postdoctoral fellow at the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, where he studied ATM-dependent (protein mutated in ataxia-telangiectasia) cell cycle signaling pathways in human mammary epithelial cells. A native of Charlotte, Dr. Greene received his Ph.D. in Cancer Biology from the Wake Forest University School of Medicine and a B.S. in Biology from the University of North Carolina at Charlotte. Dr. Greene is overseeing the CellSearch™ CTC test platform and is leading the effort in the establishment of a tumor bank at Carolina BioOncology Institute. 

February 19, 2006
      Dr. Powderly presenting course curriculum at Association of Clinical Research Professionals (ACRP) and Academy of Pharmaceutical Physicians and Investigators (APPI) FDA review course for Certified Physician Investigator (CPI) in Alexandria Virginia. Dr. Powderly is co-developer of the CPI course curriculum and guidebook for investigator certification. Registration and online course preparation may be obtained
at http://www.acrpnet.org/ or http://www.aapp.org/

November 8, 2005
     On November 8, 2005 a collaborative research trial awareness forum at the Hyatt South Park will featured Dr. Powderly as the keynote speaker on “Understanding Cancer and Clinical Trials.”   This media event was open to the public and jointly sponsored by Presbyterian Hospital, Carolinas Medical Center, the American Cancer Society, Leukemia Lymphoma Society and ClinWorks, Inc.

Dr. Powderly’s cancer research was also presented at the annual meeting of the North Carolina Oncology Association (NCOA) held in August 2005 in Greenvsboro, NC.   As one of seven oncologists presenting research updates, Dr. Powderly’s presentation was titled “Melanoma and Phase I Clinical Research”

October 6, 2005
     On Oct 6th, 2005, Dr. Powderly presented a keynote address at the Lance Armstrong Tour of Hope sponsored by Bristol Myers Squibb, Carolinas Medical Center and Presbyterian Hospital.   Charlotte rallied for the team of cyclists who journeyed cross country and  raised awareness of cancer trials.  Lance Armstrong, himself, cycled into Charlotte to lead the team.

April 24, 2005
     Recent newspaper articles highlighted the cancer research efforts of Dr. Powderly by announcing the formation of CBI (article link attached).  On April 24, 2005, the front page of the Charlotte Observer ran an article “Experimental Treatment Gives Cancer Patient Hope.”  This extensive 3 page story discussed the risks and benefits of participating in phase I clinical research trials for cancer patients who have ran out of standard treatment options.  The Sunday edition front page article included large color pictures of Dr. Powderly and a patient who had traveled in an RV from California to participate in a melanoma phase I trial in Charlotte.  The article also announced that in the summer of 2005, Dr. Powderly will open an early phase research clinic, the Carolina BioOncology Institute, to provide access to experimental drugs and hope for cancer patients.

Another recent article in the Charlotte Business Journal on April 29, 2005, highlighted Dr. Powderly and our regions “Effort to boost biotech industry” pointing out Charlotte’s “lack of a medical school can be an advantage because drug companies increasingly prefer responsive, private groups rather than large more bureaucratic research institutions.”

Open clinical trials will be posted on trial registry web sites, including www.cancer.gov, www.centerwatch.com.  Research focused marketing will continue through existing collaborations to raise research trial awareness.