Potential Of BQTTM As A Test For Osteoporosis

Crescent Diagnostics Ltd ("Crescent") has announced the publication of a
recent study demonstrating the potential of the Bone Quality Test, BQTTM to
diagnose osteoporosis. More women at risk can be screened with an accurate,
simple to use test which does not require a hospital visit.


Crescent is conducting multiple clinical studies to investigate the ability
of the BQTTM to detect osteoporosis and expand the screening of women at
risk. The most recent published study carried out at the University of
Limerick, Ireland compared the potential of the BQTTM to identify patients
at risk of fracture with DXA, the current reference standard that measures
bone mineral density ("BMD"). The study compared the fingernail clippings of
169 patients, 39 with a history of fracture and the remainder in a control
group with no fracture history. The lower disulphide content in nails
obtained from patients with a history of fracture was statistically
significantly lower than in patients without a history of fracture
(p=0.025). 26 out of 39 subjects (67%) with a history of fracture recorded
values below the cut-off value for disulphide content of the nail as
measured by Raman spectroscopy.


Commenting on these findings Ernest Poku, Chief Executive Officer of
Crescent said, "We are pleased that these preliminary results confirm the
earlier clinical findings and show the potential of the BQTTM to aid the
identification of individuals at risk of osteoporosis at a much lower cost
than current tests."


Crescent recently began recruiting patients for FRAN, a large multi-centre
trial in the UK and Ireland. This study aims to demonstrate the potential of
the BQTTM to evaluate fracture risk in hundreds of post-menopausal women.
The results are expected in early 2008.


Mr. Poku explained that Crescent "now plans to enter into dialogue with
regulatory agencies to determine the optimum route to market approval for
the test". The company is planning to complete a Series A funding round in
early 2008 to provide the funding to complete the BQTTM regulatory process.


Crescent, founded in 2004, is a development stage diagnostic company focused
on advancing its BQTTM. Low cost accurate alternatives to DEXA are needed to
enable wider osteoporosis screening.


About Crescent Diagnostics Ltd


Crescent Diagnostics is redefining the diagnosis and treatment of
osteoporosis by developing the BQTTM, a novel test which assesses human
fingernail structure as a surrogate marker for bone structure. A BQTTM Point
of Care test could be simple and accurate enough to enable wider population
screening, addressing a market exceeding $700m. Crescent Diagnostics has
offices in Limerick, Ireland and London, UK. For more information visit
crescentds


About Bone Quality Test, BQTTM


The Bone Quality Test is a Raman spectroscopy analysis performed on the nail
in-situ or on a nail clipping. The results are highly repeatable and the
test can be delivered at the point of care cost effectively. The BQTTM
addresses the need for more accurate osteoporosis testing to reduce
fractures in the community which costs billions of dollars worldwide
annually.


Journal Reference


Towler et al - Journal of Materials Science: Materials in Medicine. J Mater
Sci: Mater Med (2007) 18:759-763. Published as epub ahead of print 30
November 2006