SAN DIEGO, May 29, 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, announces the presentation of data affirming the ability of
its Target Selector™ platform to identify potentially actionable
mutations in the cerebrospinal fluid of patients whose cancer has
metastasized to the central nervous system. The data were
presented today by Kevin Kalinsky,
MD, MS, associate professor of medicine at Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians
and Surgeons, an oncologist at New York-Presbyterian/Columbia University Irving Medical Center, and the
study's principal investigator, in a poster at the American Society
for Clinical Oncology (ASCO) 2020 Virtual Scientific Program.
The abstract is available here.
The presence of tumor cells in cerebrospinal fluid may be an
indicator of brain metastases, which occur when cancer has spread
to the central nervous system. Biocept's Target Selector™
assays can detect circulating tumor cells (CTCs) and circulating
DNA (ctDNA) and identify cancer associated biomarkers in
cerebrospinal fluid. The Company can also identify biomarkers
with testing CTCs and ctDNA in the blood of patients diagnosed with
cancer. Identifying biomarkers is necessary for physicians in
selecting targeted therapies. Up to 30% and 36% of patients
diagnosed with breast and lung cancer, respectively, will develop
brain metastases during the course of treatment. In
January 2020, Biocept announced the
commercial availability of its Target Selector™ cerebrospinal fluid
assays for the rapid identification of molecular alterations in
brain metastases in patients with primary breast or lung
cancer.
The poster presentation today reported higher sensitivity with
Target Selector™ in detecting cancer material and identifying
leptomeningeal metastases (cancer in the thin layers of tissue that
cover and protect the brain and spinal cord) in cerebrospinal fluid
compared with cerebrospinal fluid cytology, the standard-of-care
technology.
"Cerebrospinal fluid cytology for the detection of
leptomeningeal metastases is the standard, but it often results in
false negative results, and lacks sensitivity in detecting
biomarkers. These results show Biocept's Target Selector™ is
a promising tool to meet an underserved need in providing this
critical information," said Dr. Kalinsky.
"We are excited to share these data at ASCO as they support our
belief that Target Selector™ has potential applicability for
identifying actionable mutations in patients with brain metastases
allowing physicians the choice to test cerebrospinal fluid, blood
or both when looking for biomarker information in order to choose
the most appropriate therapy," said Michael
Nall, President and CEO of Biocept. "We are planning a
larger study to further validate the sensitivity of our Target
Selector™ technology compared with cerebrospinal fluid cytology
with the goal of making our platform the standard of care for
leptomeningeal metastases testing.
"We'd like to thank Dr. Kalinsky for his continued leadership of
this study and others at Biocept who help further validate the use
of our technology for the benefit of patients with devastating
cancer metastases," he added.
Dr. Kalinsky reports no related financial or conflicts of
interest with this study.
About Biocept's Cerebrospinal Fluid Testing
A medical
procedure known as a spinal tap or lumbar puncture is typically
performed to collect cerebrospinal fluid when cancer patients
present with central nervous system symptoms, for example confusion
or dementia. More than 200,000 of these procedures are
performed annually in the U.S. Biocept's Target Selector™
testing provides an alternative and potentially more accurate means
of detecting biomarkers from CTCs or ctDNA of patients with
cancer that has metastasized to the central nervous system compared
with cerebrospinal fluid cytology. For more information about
Biocept's Target Selector™ testing, please contact Biocept Customer
Services at 888-332-7729.
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 as to our ability to improve the outcomes of patients
diagnosed with cancer, the promise of Biocept's Target Selector™ as
a tool to meet an underserved need, Target Selector™ being the best
option for identifying actionable mutations in patients with brain
metastases, plans for a larger study to further validate the
sensitivity of Biocept's Target Selector™ technology compared with
cerebrospinal fluid cytology, our ability to make Biocept's
platform the standard of care for leptomeningeal metastases
testing, and our ability to provide physicians with clinically
actionable information for treating and monitoring patients
diagnosed with cancer, 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 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.