ASX Health Stocks: Hope for cervical cancer patients as TruScreen announces success in China

Kiwi medical device company TruScreen (ASX:TRU) surged 15% this morning after releasing the results of its successful clinical trial in China.

The study was conducted alongside the Chinese Obstetricians and Gynaecologists Association (COGA).

Results from the study determined TruScreen to be a simple, effective and rapid real-time method to screen for cervical cancer.

The COGA trial results also highlighted the superiority of TruScreen against alternative screening methods, as well as the potential benefits of a TruScreen-HPV co-testing.

The size of the COGA study, which was TruScreen’s largest clinical evaluation to date, also lends extra significance to the results and broad conclusions.

It involved the screening of 15,661 women aged 21 years and older, across 64 teaching hospitals in nine Chinese provinces.

All the women included in the trial underwent primary screening with TruScreen, HPV and LBC, where levels of sensitivity and specificity were computed.

Amongst others, the results of the study found that TruScreen’s sensitivity was well above that for LBC (87.5% vs 66.5%).

TruScreen’s specificity (88.4%) was also higher than both LBC (86.3%) and hrHPV testing (78.3%).

“The study’s results point to the potential benefits of TruScreen-HPV co-testing, and will provide another opportunity for growth as we continue our successful expansion into China and other overseas markets,” said TruScreen CEO, Juliet Hull.

Truscreen share price today:

Neurotech’s cannabis drug update

Meanwhile, Neurotech’s (ASX:NTI) landmark study into paediatric ASD (autism spectrum disorder) has now progressed to the to pivotal drug registration stage.

The study of its lead asset NTI164 has demonstrated safety and tolerability across the dosing regimen, with no serious events reported.

The trial involved children patients aged between 8 to 17 years with a medical diagnosis of Level II and III ASD.

The study was designed to form the foundation for follow up studies in other neurological disorders, such as Multiple Sclerosis, Motor Neuron Disease, Rett’s Disease and Cerebral Palsy.

NTI164 is one of NTI’s proprietary cannabis strains, and is said to be the world’s first full-spectrum medicinal cannabis product (less than 0.3% THC) to be successfully studied in children with ASD.