SAN DIEGO, Sept. 5, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Biocept, Inc.
(NASDAQ: BIOC), a leading commercial provider of liquid biopsy
tests designed to provide physicians with clinically actionable
information to improve the outcomes of cancer patients, announces
the commercial availability of its assay for mutations of the
NRAS oncogene. The assay can be used to detect and monitor
an actionable biomarker associated with multiple cancer types such
as metastatic melanoma, colorectal and lung cancer. Biocept now
offers 15 CLIA-certified liquid biopsy tests utilizing its Target
Selector™ platform to determine the status of key cancer biomarkers
listed in the NCCN Guidelines®.
"Our newest assay combines our proprietary switch blocker
technology for improved mutation detection with the power of next
generation sequencing, resulting in ultra-high sensitive
performance of our liquid biopsy NRAS test," said
Lyle Arnold, Ph.D., Biocept's Chief
Scientific Officer. "This is our first commercially available assay
that utilizes more than one switch blocker in the assay to
interrogate multiple genes simultaneously, demonstrating our
ability to develop multiplex panels that can analyze several
different mutated gene regions in a single test."
"We continue to execute on expanding our menu of non-invasive
and cost-effective biomarker tests," said Biocept's President and
Chief Executive Officer Michael
Nall. "Biocept now offers 15 commercially available liquid
biopsy assays covering the most relevant genomic alterations for
solid tumors listed in the NCCN guidelines®. With the addition of
NRAS, our assay menu now offers expanded genomic testing for
both metastatic melanoma and colorectal cancer, which we believe
will drive further adoption of our technology in these
indications."
Biocept's Target Selector™ NRAS mutation test uses the
Company's proprietary switch blocker technology, which enriches for
oncogene mutations of interest and results in highly sensitive
biomarker detection. The Company's liquid biopsy tests are
performed in its CLIA-certified, CAP-accredited laboratory located
in San Diego, California. To order
a liquid biopsy test, please contact Customer Service at
888-332-7729 or customerservice@biocept.com.
About NRAS
The NRAS gene encodes for
the N-Ras protein, which is involved in communicating signals
from the exterior of the cell to the cell's interior (called signal
transduction). These signals provide instructions for a cell to
proliferate or differentiate. Mutations in the NRAS gene
lead to dysregulated N-Ras protein function, resulting in
uncontrolled cell growth and division. NRAS mutations are
associated with the development of several types of cancer, such as
melanoma (15-20% of cases), thyroid carcinoma (6%), colorectal
cancer (1-6%), and lung cancer (1%). Currently, there are no FDA
approved therapies that target NRAS mutations directly,
however, several drug candidates are in development and MEK
inhibitor monotherapy or combination therapies with MEK
inhibitors may provide viable treatment options for patients
harboring NRAS mutations. Immuno-oncology therapies may
also be effective in the treatment of NRAS-mutant
disease.
About NCCN Guidelines®
The National Comprehensive
Cancer Network® (NCCN®), a not-for-profit alliance of 27 leading
cancer centers devoted to patient care, research and education, is
dedicated to improving the quality, effectiveness and efficiency of
cancer care so that patients can live better lives. NCCN offers a
number of programs to give clinicians access to tools and knowledge
that can help guide decision-making in the management of cancer.
Over the past 25 years, NCCN has developed an integrated suite of
tools to improve the quality of cancer care. The NCCN Clinical
Practice Guidelines in Oncology (NCCN Guidelines®) document
evidence-based, consensus-driven management to ensure that all
patients receive preventive, diagnostic, treatment, and supportive
services that are most likely to lead to optimal outcomes.
About Biocept
Biocept, Inc. is a molecular diagnostics
company with commercialized assays for lung, breast, gastric,
colorectal and prostate cancers, and melanoma. The Company
leverages its proprietary liquid biopsy technology to provide
physicians with clinically actionable information for treating and
monitoring patients diagnosed with cancer. Biocept's patented
Target Selector™ liquid biopsy technology platform captures and
analyzes tumor-associated molecular markers in both circulating
tumor cells (CTCs) and in circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA). With
thousands of tests performed, the platform has demonstrated the
ability to identify cancer mutations and alterations to inform
physicians about a patient's disease and therapeutic options. For
additional information, please visit www.biocept.com.
Forward-Looking Statements Disclaimer Statement
This
news release contains forward-looking statements that are based
upon current expectations or beliefs, as well as a number of
assumptions about future events. Although we believe that the
expectations reflected in the forward-looking statements and the
assumptions upon which they are based are reasonable, we can give
no assurance that such expectations and assumptions will prove to
be correct. Forward-looking statements are generally identifiable
by the use of words like "may," "will," "should," "could,"
"expect," "anticipate," "estimate," "believe," "intend" or
"project," or the negative of these words or other variations on
these words or comparable terminology. To the extent that
statements in this news release are not strictly historical,
including, without limitation, statements as to our ability to
identify specific clinical conditions or improve the outcomes of
cancer patients, the utility and effectiveness of our intellectual
property protections, the financial impact of new contracts, and
our ability to increase the number of products or services provided
or the value of the Company, such statements are forward-looking,
and are made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Private
Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. The reader is cautioned
not to put undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, as
these statements are subject to numerous risk factors as set forth
in our Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) filings. The
effects of such risks and uncertainties could cause actual results
to differ materially from the forward-looking statements contained
in this news release. We do not plan to update any such
forward-looking statements and expressly disclaim any duty to
update the information contained in this press release except as
required by law. Readers are advised to review our filings with the
SEC at www.sec.gov
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SOURCE Biocept, Inc.