DeNovo Sciences, Inc., an innovator of cutting edge products of liquid biopsy, sign an agreement with START (South Texas Accelerated Research Therapeutics), a San Antonio based phase I medical oncology programme, one of the world’s largest of its kind with clinical trial sites on three continents. As per agreement, START will collect blood samples of cancer patients and use DeNovo instruments and reagents for circulating tumour cells (CTC) enrichment and purification. This will further will then be sent to a large genomics lab for whole genome sequencing. In addition, START and DeNovo have signed a separate agreement to test the ability of Denovo CTC platform to capture CTCs for use in patient derived xenograft (PDX) mice models for drug discovery and biomarker development purposes.
Circulating tumor cells(CTCs) are cells that have shed into the vasculature from a primary tumor and circulate in the bloodstream. CTCs thus constitute seeds for subsequent growth of additional tumors (metastasis) in vital distant organs, triggering a mechanism that is responsible for the vast majority of cancer-related deaths.CTCs also harbour molecular and genetic information about the tumour, which could allow physicians to detect changes in the cancer’s behaviour and drug susceptibility through a simple blood test.
DeNovo Sciences’ mission is to provide an easy to use platform for cancer research and diagnosis. Specifically, the company will sell an instrument system and reagent kit that allows for the separation, detection, and retrieval of circulating tumor cells (CTCs) from peripheral whole blood as an alternative to traditionally painful and invasive biopsies. With centers located in Madrid, Spain, Shanghai, China and San Antonio, Texas, START operates the largest, global, 24-hour Phase I cancer research organization. START’s mission is to accelerate the development of new anticancer drugs for the purpose of improving the quality of life and survival of patients with cancer.
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