SAN DIEGO, Aug. 6, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Biocept, Inc.
(Nasdaq: BIOC), a leading commercial provider of molecular
technologies designed to provide physicians with clinically
actionable information to improve the outcomes of patients with
cancer, and Aegea Biotechnologies, Inc., an innovative private life
science company with an extensive portfolio of issued patents in
next-generation nucleic acid technologies, announce a development
agreement focused on the co-development by Biocept and Aegea of a
highly sensitive PCR-based assay designed by Aegea for detecting
the COVID-19 virus. The COVID-19 PCR assay is based on the
core Switch-Blocker technology used in Biocept's suite of
ultra-sensitive oncology-focused assays. The collaboration
will leverage Biocept's experience in developing high-performance
assays based on the Switch-Blocker technology.
The COVID-19 PCR assay is being developed as a next-generation
test designed for improved analytical performance in order to
better assist healthcare providers in screening and managing
patients. The test is designed to incorporate unique
capabilities to increase the sensitivity in detecting SARS-CoV-2
(COVID-19 virus) and to provide additional information on specific
strain types. As part of the development agreement, Biocept
has first option to negotiate a license agreement to any resulting
new COVID-19 PCR assay for commercialization in its CLIA-certified,
CAP-accredited high-complexity molecular lab.
The Switch-Blocker technology is patent protected in
the United States and in 10 major
international territories. The intellectual property
underlying the Switch-Blocker technology is jointly owned by
Biocept and Aegea. Under Biocept and Aegea's cross licensing
agreement relating to the Switch-Blocker intellectual property,
Aegea has exclusive rights in the field of infectious disease, and
Biocept has certain rights within the field of clinical
oncology.
"This project further expands on Biocept's initiatives in the
COVID-19 PCR testing market and highlights our capabilities to
develop high-complexity molecular-based assays based on our core
Switch-Blocker technology for multiple applications, including
potentially COVID-19," said Michael
Nall, President and CEO of Biocept. "This agreement
provides Biocept with new incremental revenue for R&D
development services and, if successfully developed, an option to
expand our COVID-19 testing capabilities with a next-generation
COVID-19 PCR assay that we believe will have competitive
advantages."
"Working with Biocept better enables the potential rapid
development of this new PCR-based COVID-19 assay," said
Stella M. Sung, Ph.D., Chief
Business Officer of Aegea. "Biocept has successfully utilized
Switch-Blocker technology to test for rare oncology-related genetic
mutations in tens of thousands of clinical samples. Moreover,
Biocept's CLIA laboratory is actively involved in COVID-19 PCR
testing, which makes them the ideal partner for Aegea."
About COVID-19 PCR Assay Development
The new test under development is designed to have several
advantages compared with other COVID-19 PCR assays as a result of
the single nucleotide discrimination capacities of the
Switch-Blocker technology. The assay is designed to detect
low copy numbers of viral RNA, therefore potentially detecting the
viral load at much lower levels than conventional PCR-based
assays. If successful, this would be an important
differentiating feature as it has been reported that asymptomatic
patients are able to infect others. As designed, the COVID-19
PCR assay would also allow for superior specificity in its ability
to identify the different strains of SARS-CoV-2, as well as
distinguish SARS-CoV-2, which is associated with COVID-19, from
other common forms of the SARS virus.
About Aegea Biotechnologies
Aegea Biotechnologies, Inc., located in San Diego, California, is a biotechnology
company focusing on the development and commercialization of
next-generation nucleic acid technologies. A primary focus
for the company is nucleic acid technology innovations that embrace
molecular diagnostic assays, qPCR technologies, sequencing methods
including both Sanger and NGS, and
rapid point-of-care COVID-19 testing. Aegea has complementary
collaborations with Biocept (Nasdaq: BIOC) and Tauriga Sciences
(OTC/QB: TAUG) for developing its COVID-19 tests.
About Biocept
Biocept, Inc. is a molecular diagnostics company with
commercialized assays for lung, breast, gastric, colorectal and
prostate cancers, and melanoma. The Company uses its proprietary
liquid biopsy technology to provide physicians with clinically
actionable information for treating and monitoring patients
diagnosed with cancer. The Company'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 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
have been 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 release are not strictly historical, including
without limitation statements regarding the ability of Biocept's
tests to provide clinically actionable information to oncologist
and their patients, the ability of Biocept and Aegea to
successfully co-develop any COVID-19 PCR assay, the anticipated
improved analytical performance of any COVID-19 PCR assay developed
by Biocept and Aegea, the ability of any COVID-19 PCR assay
developed by Biocept and Aegea to increase the sensitivity in
detecting SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19 virus) and to provide additional
information on specific strain types, advantages of any COVID-19
PCR assay developed by Biocept and Aegea as compared to other
COVID-19 PCR assays, and the ability of Biocept's platform to
identify cancer mutations and alterations to inform physicians
about a patient's disease and therapeutic options, 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 Biocept's 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 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, which can be accessed over the Internet
at the SEC's website located at www.sec.gov.
Investor Contact:
LHA Investor Relations
Jody Cain
Jcain@lhai.com
310-691-7100
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SOURCE Biocept, Inc.