A urine sample from an at-risk patient can be collected and processed with an NV-VPAC1^TM peptide so that any cancer cells expressing the VPAC1 receptor can be visualized microscopically (above). Cancer cells appear as illuminated orange blooms when viewed in a laboratory under a confocal fluorescent microscope via a standard testing method.

There are many factors that can confound the result of a PSA test including i) medical conditions other than prostate cancer that can cause PSA levels to rise including benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) and prostatitis, and ii) PSA-lowering factors such as certain drugs used to treat BPH or urinary conditions, large doses of chemotherapy medications, and obesity.

Due to the simple and convenient nature of the NV-VPAC1^TM urine screen diagnostic test, it has the potential to complement or replace the PSA test as part of routine screening of prostate cancer, given that the NV-VPAC1^TM urine screen diagnostic test specifically tests for the presence of cancer cells that have a very high level of VPAC1 receptor expression.