Unmet Need
Early detection of cancer is critical for diagnosis, informing treatment, and improving prognostic outcomes. Solid biopsies can be difficult to obtain and provide limited information on tumor composition. In recent years, liquid biopsies have allowed for non-invasive testing of circulating tumor-derived components, such as tumor cells or nucleic acids. However, the specificity and sensitivity of liquid biopsies can vary depending on the type and stage of cancer. The amount of circulating tumor-derived components can also be low and hard to detect, and false positives can occur due to the presence of circulating nucleic acids from other sources. Therefore, there is a strong need to develop liquid biopsy methods with improved sensitivity and specificity to enhance their clinical utility, improving health outcomes for patients with cancer.
Value Proposition
· Improves the sensitivity and specificity of liquid biopsies for cancer detection
· Compatible with multiple liquid sample types (e.g., saliva, urine, pap test fluid), allowing for detection of multiple cancer types.
· Potential cost savings, as compared to current enrichment techniques for liquid biopsy.
Technology Description
· Researchers at Johns Hopkins have developed a method for cancer detection in liquid biopsies that combines cell enrichment with a flow-cytometry based assay.
· This technique can be used to evaluate assessing cancer-specific changes in DNA, methylated DNA, and/or tumor suppressor protein levels.
· Technique is compatible with mixed cell samples (i.e., containing both tumor and healthy cells) and clinically available sample preservatives.
Stage of Development
· Pre-clinical
Publication: N/A
