Rosetta Genomics Ltd., a leading developer and provider of microRNA-based and other molecular diagnostic testing services, announced conditional approval status for RosettaGX Reveal, its novel microRNA classifier for the diagnosis of indeterminate thyroid Fine Needle Aspirate (FNA) smears from the New York State Department of Health (NYSDOH) under the company’s Molecular Oncology permit.

RosettaGX Reveal is the only molecular test in the thyroid market that has been validated in a multicenter, international, blinded study using convenient, routinely prepared cytology slides.

The assay is CLIA certified, but New York requires an additional license from the NYSDOH for CLIA-certified tests to be offered to patients in the state. With this conditional approval, RosettaGX Reveal is now available in all 50 states. In making the assay available pending final approval, the NYSDOH requires the company to provide any additional information that it may request within 60 business days.

“We are very pleased to have approval to market this important cancer diagnostic for the benefit of physicians and patients in the vast New York market," stated Kenneth A. Berlin, president and chief executive officer of Rosetta Genomics.

“It is estimated that nearly 550,000 FNAs are performed on thyroid nodules each year in the US and that approximately 740,000 are performed annually in Europe. Interpretation of FNA samples is not always straightforward, leading to an indeterminate result in up to 30 per cent of the samples. Many patients with indeterminate results undergo surgery as a precaution despite the fact that up to 80 per cent of these cases are benign. This exposes patients to unnecessary surgical risk and costs the healthcare system hundreds of millions of dollars. Through an analysis of our validation study data, we believe we can help prevent up to 75 per cent of unnecessary thyroid surgeries.”

“In addition to this expanded geographic access, recent managed care contracting initiatives have resulted in covered lives for RosettaGX Reveal exceeding 150 million in the US. These increases in geographic and health insurance access, along with the potential health economic benefits the RosettaGX Reveal assay can bring by avoiding unnecessary surgeries, should enhance adoption into a market valued at more than $350 million annually in the US alone. This market is one that continues to see accelerating penetration of molecular classifiers such as RosettaGX Reveal, which we expect to continue over the next several years,” added Berlin.