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Biocept to present study showcasing its ultra-sensitive Target Selector biopsy assay kits at a virtual medical conference this week

Published: 10:35 16 Feb 2021 EST

Cancer cells
The study utilized Biocept’s Target Selector molecular assay with the company’s Switch-Blocker technology, which requires less tumor sample than most commercial assays

Biocept Inc (NASDAQ:BIOC) announced Tuesday that its Target Selector molecular assay kit detected mutations in up to 50% of tissue biopsy specimens from non-small cell lung cancer patients that were deemed quantity not sufficient (QNS) by traditional testing methods in a recent study.

The company plans to present its findings at the virtual Molecular Med Tri-Con Virtual Conference on February 16-18.

Molecular testing of biopsy specimens is critical to identify genetic mutations and guide potential treatment with targeted therapies, the company said, but in up to 40% of cases, biopsy specimens lack sufficient tissue to perform testing.

READ: Biocept says more than 250,000 coronavirus testing samples received to date for processing at its laboratory

The presence of non-tumor cells can also be an obstacle in detecting specific mutations, Biocept noted. As a result, QNS specimens are a significant issue in molecular diagnostic testing and a key challenge faced by oncologists and pathologists in managing cancer patients.

The study utilized Biocept’s Target Selector molecular assay with the company’s Switch-Blocker technology, which offers ultra-high sensitivity and requires less tumor sample than most commercial assays. 

The assay was used to evaluate the presence of several key EGFR and KRAS mutations in formalin-fixed paraformaldehyde embedded (FFPE) tissue slides that were deemed QNS for next generation sequencing (NGS) analysis. EGFR mutations were detected in 3 of 6 patient samples and KRAS mutations in 1of 6 samples. The tissue sliders were supplied by NeGenomics Laboratories Inc.

“We’re looking for rare mutations from a very small tissue sample in a large background of non-tumor cells to help us guide treatment decisions for patients,” Biocept chief medical officer Michael Dugan said in a statement. “This collaboration with NeoGenomics confirms that our Target Selector assay used with FFPE samples has the potential to provide molecular results when other common platforms can’t, offering actionable information for physicians to help identify potential targeted therapy options.”

Biocept’s Target Selector assay kits work by detecting mutations in DNA derived from FFPE or blood plasma and provide insight into a patient’s cancer characteristics and tumor biomarker status. Its Switch-Blocker technology enriches specimens to find mutations of interest and blocks DNA amplification from normal cells, which delivers ultra-high assay sensitivity and specificity compared to other current methods, the company said.

Testing kits make it possible for molecular laboratories around the world to use Target Selector assays to detect key oncogene mutations through the analysis of both FFPE tissue from surgical biopsies and circulating tumor DNA(ctDNA) from blood-based liquid biopsies. Biocept also offers ctDNA-based tests in its CLIA-certified, CAP-accredited laboratory.

The poster, titled “Detection of EGFR Mutations in Quantity Insufficient Tissue Slides by High Sensitivity Assay Target Selector in Patients with Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer,” can be accessed here.

Also at the conference, Dugan will participate in a roundtable discussion on the value and analytical requirements of circulating tumor cell (CTC) analysis as part of a comprehensive liquid biopsy analysis. The panel, titled “Introducing CTC Assays to Service Laboratories,” will be held Wednesday, February 17 at 12:55 pm ET. 

Contact Andrew Kessel at andrew.kessel@proactiveinvestors.com

Follow him on Twitter @andrew_kessel

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