Aegea Biotechnologies Announces Supply Agreement with Biocept for New COVID-19 Test with the Ability to Distinguish Virus Str...
March 02 2021 - 8:07AM
Business Wire
COVID-19 test, based on Aegea’s next-generation
COVID-19 assay kit using Switch-Blocker™ technology, may provide
answers that support screening and managing patients
Aegea Biotechnologies, Inc., an innovative life science company
with an extensive portfolio of issued patents in next-generation
nucleic acid technologies, and Biocept, Inc. (Nasdaq: BIOC), a
leading provider of molecular diagnostic assays, products and
services, announce a supply agreement for a new PCR-based COVID-19
assay kit designed by Aegea and co-developed by the companies.
Under the agreement, Aegea will supply the COVID-19 assay kit to
Biocept for validation in its CLIA-certified, CAP-accredited
high-complexity molecular lab and subsequent commercialization of a
laboratory developed test (LDT).
The new COVID-19 assay is a next-generation PCR-based test using
proprietary Switch-Blocker technology for viral RNA detection as
well as discrimination of L- and S-strain types. As a result of
this core technology, which enables robust single nucleotide
discrimination, the assay has several technical advantages compared
with other COVID-19 PCR assays. The assay may have the ability to
evaluate sample adequacy in patients with negative results and be
adapted to identify new variants of the SARS-CoV-2 virus as they
emerge. It is expected to allow quantitative evaluation of viral
load to better assist healthcare providers who are screening
asymptomatic patients, managing patients with symptomatic
infections, or evaluating patients who are recovering from
COVID-19.
“This new assay further demonstrates Biocept’s commitment to
COVID-19 PCR testing by expanding our COVID-19 portfolio with a
differentiated LDT,” said Michael Nall, President and CEO of
Biocept. “A key priority will be quantifying viral load to
determine how patients are responding to therapy and better assess
how infectious they may be. This is an important feature of the
test and is especially valuable for identifying asymptomatic
patients who have the potential to infect others.”
“Biocept is the ideal partner to validate and commercialize our
new COVID-19 assay kit, as well as potential follow-on assays for
different SARS-CoV-2 variants,” said Stella M. Sung, Ph.D., Chief
Business Officer of Aegea. “Several unique features of the assay
could potentially aid caregivers in clinical decision-making,
notably its ability to simultaneously detect the presence or
absence of SARS-CoV-2 and identify variant types. The assay is
quantitative and highly sensitive, and can be adapted to detect new
and future variants. This could be a powerful diagnostic tool to
the extent that different variants are associated with different
therapeutic strategies.”
Switch-Blocker technology used in the COVID-19 test, which also
is the basis for Biocept’s ultra-sensitive oncology assays, is
patent protected in the United States and 10 other major
jurisdictions. 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
infectious diseases and other fields, and Biocept has certain
rights within the field of clinical oncology.
About Aegea Biotechnologies Aegea Biotechnologies, Inc.,
located in San Diego, Calif., is a biotechnology company focused 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.
For additional information, visit www.aegeabiotech.com.
About Biocept Biocept, Inc. develops and commercializes
molecular diagnostic assays that provide physicians with clinically
actionable information for treating and monitoring patients
diagnosed with a variety of cancers, including metastatic tumors
involving lung, breast and the central nervous system. Biocept’s
patented Target Selector™ technology platform captures and analyzes
tumor-associated molecular markers in both circulating tumor cells
(CTCs) and circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) with higher sensitivity
and specificity than most commercial assays. Additionally, Biocept
is leveraging its molecular diagnostic capabilities to offer
nationwide COVID-19 PCR testing to support public health efforts
during this unprecedented pandemic. For additional information,
visit www.biocept.com. Follow Biocept on Facebook, LinkedIn and
Twitter.
Forward-Looking Statements Disclaimer 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 Biocept believe that the expectations
reflected in the forward-looking statements and the assumptions
upon which they are based are reasonable, Biocept 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 to
validate the Aegea COVID-19 assay, the ability of the Aegea
COVID-19 assay to allow quantitative evaluation of viral load to
better assist healthcare providers in clinical decision-making, the
ability to adapt the Aegea COVID-19 assay to detect new and future
variants, and the ability of the Aegea COVID-19 assay to become a
powerful diagnostic tool, 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 risks and uncertainties,
including the risk that Biocept’s products and services may not
perform as expected and the risk that Biocept will not be able to
enter into additional services agreements and arrangements
necessary for the commercialization of those products and services.
These and other risks are described in greater detail under the
"Risk Factors" heading of Biocept’s Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q
for the quarter ended September 30, 2020. The effects of such risks
and uncertainties could cause Biocept’s actual results to differ
materially from the forward-looking statements contained in this
release. Biocept does not plan to update any such forward-looking
statements and expressly disclaims any duty to update the
information contained in this press release except as required by
law. Readers are advised to review Biocept’s filings with the SEC,
which can be accessed over the Internet at the SEC's website
located at www.sec.gov.
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version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210302005447/en/
Aegea Biotechnologies, Inc. Contact: Stella M. Sung,
Ph.D., Chief Business Officer ssung@aegeabiotech.com, 858-353-5749
Biocept Media Contact: Andrea Sampson, Sampson PR Group
asampson@sampsonprgroup.com, 562-304-0301 Biocept Investor
Contact: Jody Cain, LHA Investor Relations Jcain@lhai.com,
310-691-7100
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