SAN DIEGO, Aug. 18, 2020 /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 patients, announces that it
has been granted US Patent number: 10,745,749, entitled METHODS FOR
DETECTING NUCLEIC ACID SEQUENCE VARIANTS. The patent provides
intellectual property protection for Primer-Switch technology,
which is useful for the detection of rare cell mutations using
circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) analysis through real-time PCR
and associated analysis methods, including next-generation
sequencing (NGS).
The issuance of this patent expands Biocept's intellectual
property protection for the detection of rare mutations, including
cancer biomarkers found in tissue, blood and cerebrospinal fluid.
This is the second issued patent for the Primer-Switch
technology, and is another step in Biocept's pursuit of worldwide
patent protection for this technology. The Primer-Switch
technology provides another method for specifically enriching
patient specimens for oncogene mutations of interest.
Additionally, the Primer-Switch technology can be used to
enhance the performance and specificity of the PCR method, which is
the most widely used amplification approach used in diagnostic
assays.
"Our Primer-Switch methodology has the potential to find rare
mutations in PCR reactions, especially where the detection of rare
genetic events is needed, or in cases where more precise PCR
amplification reactions are desired or required," said Michael Nall, Biocept's President and CEO.
"This technology builds upon our ability to detect rare genetic
events in addition to our Switch-Blocker technology, which we
routinely use in our ctDNA Target Selector™ assays. This is
another tool in our toolkit for methods to inform on biomarkers
found in tissue, blood and cerebrospinal fluid to aid physician
decision making in the treatment of their patients with
cancer."
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. In
addition, Biocept recently added COVID-19 testing to
support efforts to fight the pandemic. 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 and the utility and effectiveness of our
intellectual property protections, 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 http://www.sec.gov/.
Investor Contact:
LHA Investor
Relations
Jody Cain
Jcain@lhai.com
310-691-7100
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SOURCE Biocept, Inc.