Biocept to Present Data at RAS-Targeted Drug Development Summit Showing Ability of Its Switch-BlockerTM Technology to Detect Rare Cancer Mutations
September 21 2021 - 8:17AM
Business Wire
Company’s ultra-sensitive and quantitative
assays support efforts to develop targeted therapies for cancers
driven by a variety of genetic mutations
Biocept (Nasdaq: BIOC), a leading provider of molecular
diagnostic assays and services, will present data on its Target
Selector™ assay formats for the ultra-sensitive detection of KRAS
mutations using Switch-Blocker™ technology, which provides
advantages for the assessment of therapeutic tumor response and is
cost effective for serial monitoring. Biocept’s presentation is on
Sept. 23 at 2:00 p.m. EDT at the Third Annual RAS-Targeted Drug
Development Summit, where the company will also host a virtual
booth from Sept. 21-23, 2021.
The Summit brings together academic and biopharmaceutical
leaders to share insights and data to advance the successful
development of targeted monotherapies and combination strategies
for RAS-driven cancers. RAS proteins are frequently mutated in
cancers. In particular, KRAS mutations are present in approximately
25% of tumors, making them one of the most common gene mutations
linked to cancer. They are drivers of some of the deadliest
cancers, including lung, colorectal and pancreatic. As a result,
there is significant interest among the biopharmaceutical and
medical communities to develop and study new, highly targeted
therapies to treat such cancers.
To support these efforts, Biocept offers flexible molecular
testing solutions based on advanced technology, including its
proprietary Switch-Blocker technology. The company’s Target
Selector assays and kits, combined with its Switch-Blocker
technology, enables the development of superior assays to detect
and characterize genetic alterations in patients with cancer.
Switch-Blockers enrich for oncogenic mutations while suppressing
wild-type (normal) DNA, resulting in ultra-high sensitivity and
specificity.
Biocept’s assays can be used to detect circulating tumor DNA
(ctDNA) in tissue, blood and cerebrospinal fluid. For liquid biopsy
applications, Switch-Blocker technology offers a 50- to 100-fold
increase in mutant allele frequency of detection compared to
conventional next-generation sequencing (NGS) and has been
validated to 0.02% in blood. The technology offers similar
analytical advantages in tissue, with the additional benefit of
potentially reducing the Quantity Not Sufficient (QNS) rate because
of the assay’s low sample input requirement compared to NGS-based
assays.
Biocept offers an expanded KRAS assay to detect a variety of
KRAS mutations, as well as assays for a wide range of other
mutations that are clinically actionable based on NCCN guidelines.
It also can develop custom assays with high sensitivity and
specificity based on the unique clinical trial needs of
biopharmaceutical companies. These cost-effective assays are
significantly less expensive than NGS-based tests, an important
consideration for companies conducting clinical drug trials.
“As this emerging area of therapeutic development rapidly grows,
more companies are targeting rare and specific mutations with their
drug candidates,” said Michael Dugan, M.D., Biocept’s Senior Vice
President, Chief Medical Officer and Medical Director. “Our
patented Switch-Blocker technology identifies those mutations down
to a very small mutant allele frequency. This capability can help
companies more accurately identify patients who meet clinical trial
inclusion criteria and better stratify patients, with the potential
to positively impact patient selection, trial size and duration,
costs and results.”
“Biopharmaceutical companies often require molecular assays that
are customized to meet the specific needs of their trials,” said
Michael Nall, President and CEO of Biocept. “Whether they are
interested in one or multiple variants, we have the ability to
quickly and cost-effectively build assays that are specific to
their mutations of interest—which could then become companion
diagnostics for their therapeutics. We look forward to working with
companies to help ensure the success of their clinical trial
programs, while expanding the market for our test offerings.”
The presentation, titled “The Ultra-Sensitive Detection of KRAS
Mutations Using Switch-Blocker™ to Aid Therapeutic Decisions and
Monitoring,” can be accessed here. To learn more about how
Switch-Blockers in combination with Biocept’s array of liquid
biopsy capabilities can help support both prognostic and predictive
clinical trial enrichment, visit the virtual booth here.
About Biocept
Biocept, Inc., develops and commercializes molecular diagnostic
assays that provide physicians with clinically actionable
information to aid in the diagnosis, treatment and monitoring of
patients with cancer. In addition to its broad portfolio of
blood-based liquid biopsy tests, the company has developed the
CNSide™ cerebrospinal fluid assay, designed to diagnose cancer that
has metastasized to the central nervous system. Biocept also is
leveraging its molecular diagnostic capabilities to offer
nationwide RT-PCR-based COVID-19 testing and services to support
public health efforts during this unprecedented pandemic. For more
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 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," “could,”
"designed," and "potential" 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 patented Switch-Blocker technology to identify selected
mutations down to a very small mutant frequency and the potential
benefits thereof, Biocept’s ability to quickly and cost-effectively
develop and build custom assays with high sensitivity and
specificity, the potential of those assays to become companion
diagnostics, the ability of CNSide cerebrospinal fluid assay to
diagnose cancer that has metastasized to the central nervous system
and the ability of Biocept’s molecular diagnostic assays to provide
physicians with clinically actionable information to aid in the
diagnosis, treatment and monitoring of patients 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 risks and uncertainties, including the risk that supply
disruptions may impact our ability to quickly and cost-effectively
build custom assays, risks associated with the development and
approval of a companion diagnostic test, and the risk that our
products and services may not perform as expected. These and other
risks are described in greater detail under the "Risk Factors"
heading of our Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended
June 30, 2021, as filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission
(SEC) on August 16, 2021. 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.
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version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210921005429/en/
Biocept Contacts Media: Andrea Sampson, Sampson PR Group
asampson@sampsonprgroup.com, 562-304-0301
Investors: Jody Cain, LHA Investor Relations Jcain@lhai.com,
310-691-7100
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