Exact Sciences Corp.’s long-term analysis of results from the Detecting cancers Earlier Through Elective mutation-based blood Collection and Testing (DETECT-A) study found that all patients diagnosed and treated for stage I or II cancers identified through its blood-based multi-cancer early detection (MCED) test remained cancer-free more than four years after diagnosis. Half of all the participants with cancer detected remained alive at four years, notable because most of the detected cancers had no recommended screening tests or standards. The results will be presented at the American Society of Clinical Oncology meeting June 2-6.
Presentations at the Digestive Disease Week 2023 conference highlighted the strong performance of non-invasive tests for early-stage colorectal cancer. Both Guardant Health Inc. and Exact Sciences Corp. aim to increase acceptance of their tests for CRC to drive higher screening rates, as the preparation and invasive nature of colonoscopy continue to depress participation, even as rates of CRC are rising sharply among younger adults.
Quest Diagnostics Inc. evidently found what it was looking for, as it agreed to acquire Haystack Oncology Inc. in an all-cash deal valued at up to $450 million with $300 million at closing and $150 million contingent on meeting specific milestones. Haystack focuses on minimal residual disease (MRD) testing, which can detect residual or recurring cancer in its early stages and help guide therapy decisions using blood samples rather than biopsied tissue. The companies expect the transaction to close before the end of June.
A new blood test developed by Durin Technologies Inc. and Rowan-Virtua School of Osteopathic Medicine detected the presence of Alzheimer’s disease pathology in nearly all asymptomatic patients who went on to developed cognitive impairment or dementia, a study in the Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease found. The test uses eight autoantibody biomarkers to identify patients with the disease at pre-symptomatic, prodromal and mild-moderate stages of disease.
Biotechnology startup Reveal Genomics SL said that a study, published in Nature Communication, found its machine learning-based technology applied to circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) is able to predict drug response and survival outcome in patients with metastatic breast cancer treated with endocrine therapy and CDK4/6 inhibitors.
Elypta AB has devised new multi-cancer early detection technology leveraging plasma and urine glycosaminoglycans which can detect more than a dozen types of cancer in adults showing no symptoms.
Dxcover Ltd. raised $9.25 million (£7.5 million) in a series A fundraising round and received a grant of $2.7 million (£2.2 million) from the European Innovation Council to support development of the company’s liquid biopsy platform for the detection of multiple early-stage cancers. Existing investors Eos Advisory LLP, Mercia Asset Management plc, Scottish Enterprise, University of Strathclyde, SIS Ventures and Norcliffe Capital led the round, which was also joined by Mark Banforth of Thairm Bio.
Burning Rock Biotech Ltd.’s share price flared up on Tuesday morning on news of U.S. FDA breakthrough device designation for its Overc multi-cancer detection blood test (MCDBT). The stock closed on Dec. 30, 2022, at $2.26 and rose sharply on the announcement to open at $2.89. By the end of the day, however, the stock had sunk to $2.15.
Pancreatic cancer is the deadliest of cancers with just one in nine patients surviving five years after diagnosis. The low rate of survival largely results from the late stage at which the cancer is first detected, as 65% patients are not diagnosed until the disease has metastasized. Bluestar Genomics Inc. hopes it has developed an assay that can detect the cancer much sooner, allowing patients and their physicians to get ahead of the malignancy well before it spreads.
Haystack Oncology Inc. has launched with a $56 million series A round to commercialize technology using circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) to detect minimal residual disease (MRD) following surgery for early-stage cancers.
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