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Oral Cancer Prevention International and CDx Laboratories recently merged to become CDx Diagnostics.

The new organization aims to create diagnostic tools for early detection and prevention of oral, laryngeal and esophageal cancers.

"We are pleased to be able to consolidate our oral, esophageal, and laryngeal cancer diagnostic assets into one company that can better leverage our investment in the proprietary computer algorithms and systems that we have developed to improve the detection of pre-cancerous cells," Mark Rutenberg, chairman and CEO of CDx Diagnostics, said in a press statement. "We welcome Waterbridge Capital as a board member and look forward to a mutually beneficial relationship," "This merger streamlines our capital structure and allows us to accelerate our strong pipeline of additional tests for liver, pancreatic, and Inflammatory Bowel Disease caused colon cancer."

CDx Diagnostics believes detecting easily treatable pre-cancerous cells known as "dysplasia" can be the most effective method to prevent cancer. CDx Laboratories was established in 1997 to detect dysplasia in tissues. The merger was facilitated by Waterbridge Capital, a New York City-based investment firm.

"Our goal in making this investment is to ensure that the newly merged company has access to the financial and human resources that it requires for rapid growth," said Joel Schreiber, CEO of Waterbridge Capital. "It is very unusual for any medical device or diagnostic company to have successfully commercialized even one patented, clinically proven, FDA cleared, and reimbursed product independently, without the resources of a larger company."

Oral cancer has been rapidly increasing in women, young people and non-smokers. While esophageal cancer, is being detected in white American men over 40 in the last 20 years.

According to the Department of Health and Human Services, every year, more than 30,000 new cases of oral cavity and pharynx cancer are diagnosed and around 8,000 deaths of the same are recorded.

"Based on almost six months of diligence, we have confirmed a remarkable level of enthusiasm among physicians for CDx's computer-assisted biopsy approach for detecting still-harmless, but pre-cancerous cells," Schreiber said. "We believe that even fractional penetration for its two currently available tests in the U.S. market alone can prevent thousands of oral and esophageal cancers."