Description:
Summary
Early cancer detection is critical for improving long-term patient survival and highlights a need for new sensitive and minimally-invasive early detection methods. The current technology includes novel sets of cell-free RNA biomarkers that can be used to potentially distinguish between malignant and pre-malignant forms of certain cancers using a standard blood collection for liquid biopsy applications.
Technology Overview
Cancer is often diagnosed after cancerous cells have spread systemically, dramatically lowering long-term patient survival. New tools for early cancer detection are needed as these can confer the highest chance of improving patient outcomes.
The current technology describes novel sets of biomarkers that are capable of distinguishing certain types of cancer from pre-malignant disease. Features of this method include:
- Cell-free RNA based biomarker detection compatible with minimally-invasive standard blood collection.
- Biomarker panels capable of identifying solid and hematologic malignancies and distinguishing these from pre-malignant conditions, including:
- Liver cancer from its premalignant condition, cirrhosis.
- Multiple myeloma from its premalignant condition, Monoclonal Gammopathy of Undetermined Significant.
Following further development and refinement of this liquid biopsy biomarker panel in a larger population, this method has the potential to generate a new early-cancer diagnostic panel from minimally-invasive blood samples.
Publication
Roskams-Hieter, B., Kim, H.J., Anur, P. et al. Plasma cell-free RNA profiling distinguishes cancers from pre-malignant conditions in solid and hematologic malignancies. npj Precis. Onc. 6, 28 (2022). Link
Licensing Opportunity
This technology is available for licensing.