Oxford BioDynamics (OBD), a UK-based biotechnology company offering precision medicine tests, said that its EpiSwitch CRC blood test accurately detects both cancer and polyps.
The company’s announcement is based on results from a multi-centre study using its blood test to detect colorectal cancer (CRC) and non-cancerous polyps.
The study was a result of collaboration between OBD, University of East Anglia, University Hospitals NHS Trust, Hospital Sultana Bahiyah, Island Hospital Penang, Hospital Pulau Pinang, Hospital Sultanah Aminah, and Mount Miriam Cancer Hospital, Malaysia.
The whole genome DNA screening of blood samples from 325 patients showed a high accuracy of 81% detection for early cancer stages, and 82% for non-cancerous polyps.
3D EpiSwitch biomarkers identified and validated two distinct eight-marker signatures (EpiSwitch NST) for diagnosing colorectal cancer (CRC) and precancerous polyps.
OBD has leveraged its EpiSwitch KnowledgeBase platform to map pathways that traces the processes contributing to the pathology of polyp and CRC progression.
Norwich Medical School professorial research fellow, and tumour microenvironment and chemotherapy group head, principal clinical lead Dmitry Pchejetski said: “I am excited by these findings. This test has the potential ability to detect early cancers and precancerous polyps with greater accuracy.”
OBD is a biotechnology company engaged in developing and commercialising precision clinical diagnostic tests for life-changing diseases.
Currently, OBD has two commercially available products: the EpiSwitch Prostate Screening test (EpiSwitch PSE) and Checkpoint Inhibitor Response Test (EpiSwitch CiRT) blood tests.
EpiSwitch PSE enhances the predictive accuracy of a PSA test from 55% to 94% when testing the presence or absence of prostate cancer.
EpiSwitch CiRT comes with a highly accurate, 85% predictive response test to immuno-oncology checkpoint inhibitor treatments.
The tests are developed based on OBD’s in-house EpiSwitch 3D genomic biomarker platform, which enables screening, evaluation, validation and monitoring of biomarkers.
OBD chief scientific officer Alexandre Akoulitchev said: “Reliable and non-invasive detection of early stages of colorectal cancer, as well as the polyps, has been the focus of strenuous efforts by a number of big biomarker companies deploying common biomarker modalities.
“To date the results in terms of sensitivity of detection for polyps and positive predictive value for cancer have been disappointing.
“Our own approach and these reported results demonstrate the consistent accuracy of EpiSwitch technology for the most challenging patient stratifications and will allow us to progress our ongoing commercial discussions with third parties.”
