Vermillion to Present on ASPiRA LABS, a New Women's Health Laboratory Specializing in OVA1, at AACC

AUSTIN, Texas, July 28, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- Medical experts representing Vermillion, Inc. VRML, a multivariate diagnostics company focused on gynecologic cancers and women's health, will  present on ASPiRA LABS, its new CLIA-certified reference laboratory, at the American Association for Clinical Chemistry's annual (AACC) meeting on July 31 at 10 a.m. CST. ASPiRA LABS provides expert diagnostic services, including OVA1® and Longitudinal CA 125 testing, which support clinical decision making and advancing personalized treatment plans.

The presentation will be led by Herbert Fritsche, Jr., Ph.D., Laboratory Director of ASPiRA LABS, and Michael Randell, M.D., FACOG, of Northside Hospital in Atlanta, one of the largest comprehensive women's health care facilities in the country. They will share salient information on the dedicated focus of ASPiRA LABS, as well as the clinical utility of incorporating OVA1 into the management of patients with ovarian adnexal masses who are considered for surgery.  ASPiRA LABS, located near Austin, Texas, is now operational.  ASPiRA LABS was established for the purpose of delivering clear, intuitive and timely results with a focus on providing physicians and laboratories with a personalized reference laboratory experience, including readily accessible expert consultations. 

"Our lab delivers superior service and clear results that help gynecologists select the optimum care path by identifying patients with a high risk of ovarian malignancy," said Dr. Fritsche, the former Chief of Clinical Chemistry at M.D. Anderson Cancer Center. "ASPiRA LABS strengthens our ability to improve OVA1 by managing all aspects of service from sample collection to a single patient identifier to facilitate future testing in the continuum of care."

In addition to OVA1, ASPiRA LABS offers physicians Longitudinal CA 125 testing. The CA 125 baseline level is obtained from OVA1 prior to initial surgery and diagnosis of ovarian cancer. When ordered by the gynecologic oncologist as part of post-surgical monitoring, ASPiRA LABS provides a multi-point CA 125 graph comparing the baseline to a newly measured CA 125 result. This test report, in accordance with FDA-cleared use of CA 125, may help health care professionals detect residual disease or ovarian cancer recurrence.

"I'm pleased to be speaking on behalf of OVA1, a test I believe to be the best tool for detecting ovarian malignancies and aiding in the selection of the proper surgery by the proper specialist and as a result will help provide patients with the best possible care," said Dr. Randell.

About Ovarian Cancer

A key motivating factor for the creation of the ASPiRA LABS was the current diagnostic and treatment landscape for ovarian cancer.  Ovarian cancer has not seen notable improvements in mortality rate reduction despite advancements in many other cancers. Almost 22,000 women are diagnosed with ovarian cancer in the United States annually, and more than 14,000 die each year, making it the deadliest of all gynecologic cancers.¹ ASPiRA LABS is a proud sponsor of the Ovarian Cancer National Alliance (OCNA) and serves as an educational resource hub for health care professionals and women facing surgery for ovarian masses that are potentially malignant. 

About ASPiRA LABS

ASPiRA LABS is an innovative diagnostic services laboratory founded by Vermillion, Inc., a leader in women's health diagnostics. The laboratory's goal is to provide high quality, innovative testing for women to help address unmet women's health needs. ASPiRA LABS specialized services are grounded in evidence-based medicine, while providing access to novel biomarker diagnostic tools designed to help health care professionals offer the most precise diagnoses and treatment guidance for their patients. To learn more about ASPiRA LABS, visit www.aspiralab.com.

About Vermillion

Vermillion, Inc. VRML is dedicated to the discovery, development and commercialization of novel high-value diagnostic tests that help physicians diagnose, treat and improve outcomes for patients. Vermillion, along with its prestigious scientific collaborators, has diagnostic programs in gynecologic oncology and women's health.

The company's lead diagnostic, OVA1^®, is a blood test for pre-surgical assessment of ovarian tumors for malignancy, using an innovative algorithmic approach. As the first FDA-cleared, protein-based In Vitro Diagnostic Multivariate Index Assay, OVA1 represents a new class of software-based diagnostics. For additional information, including published clinical trials, visit www.vermillion.com.

Forward-Looking Statements

The foregoing contains forward-looking statements, as that term is defined in the Private Litigation Reform Act of 1995, that involve significant risks and uncertainties. These forward-looking statements are based on Vermillion's expectations as of the date of this press release. A variety of factors could cause actual results and experience to differ materially from the anticipated results or other expectations expressed in such forward-looking statements. Vermillion expressly disclaims any obligation to update, amend or clarify any forward-looking statements to reflect events, new information or circumstances occurring after the date of this press release, except as required by law.

This release should be read in conjunction with the consolidated financial statements and notes thereto included in our most recent reports on Form 10-K and Form 10-Q. Copies are available through the SEC's Electronic Data Gathering Analysis and Retrieval system (EDGAR) at www.sec.gov.

Investor Relations Contact:
Eric Schoen
Tel 512-519-0424
eschoen@vermillion.com

¹ National Cancer Institute. Seer Stat Fact Sheets – Ovarian Cancer. http://seer.cancer.gov/statfacts/html/ovary.html.

SOURCE Vermillion, Inc.