Biocept, Inc., a leading molecular diagnostics company, announces the initiation of a collaborative study with MedStar Georgetown University Hospital to evaluate resistance biomarkers in patients diagnosed with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) who are currently being treated with EGFR inhibitors or chemotherapy.  Tumours from patients with advanced NSCLC are routinely screened for the presence of EGFR mutations, with these mutations occurring in approximately 10 to 20 per cent of NSCLC patients.

The study is being conducted at the Georgetown Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center under the direction of Giuseppe Giaccone, MD, PhD, Associate Director for Clinical Research for the MedStar Health Cancer Network's Washington Region and an internationally recognized expert in the field of lung cancer and developmental therapeutics. Biocept will monitor various clinically validated biomarkers in patients with lung cancer, including EGFR, MET, ALK and BRAF, using its proprietary circulating tumour cell (CTC) and cell free circulating tumour DNA (ctDNA) dual platform technology. Data from the study is expected to further build and strengthen the clinical utility for Biocept's blood-based biomarker testing platforms.

"Studying various forms of resistance mechanisms allows us to further expand upon and develop evidence supporting the utility of clinically actionable personalized treatment information for patients with metastatic lung cancer," said Veena Singh, MD, Biocept's senior vice president and senior medical director. "Treatment with currently approved targeted TKI therapies have known benefits for patients with various EGFR activating mutations; however, nearly all of these patients will eventually develop resistance to their therapies, which results in disease progression.

"Our study is focusing on identifying active evolving resistance mechanisms through blood-based testing in order to monitor the mutations in the tumour and importantly identify real-time treatment options for these patients," added Dr Singh.  "We are delighted to be collaborating on this study with highly respected Dr Giaccone and a top-tier institution such as MedStar Georgetown."

"Current standard of care is to use tumour biopsies by invasive surgical techniques or interventional radiology to both re-stratify patients with NSCLC when signs of progression are identified and to monitor these patients for key mechanisms of resistance," said Dr. Giaccone. "These biopsies have a quantifiable rate of complications and risk.  The ability to identify resistance mechanisms through blood-based liquid biopsy monitoring allows for detection and analysis without the need to obtain more tissue."

The Georgetown Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center is part of Georgetown University Medical Center and MedStar Georgetown University Hospital.  It is a state-of-the-art cancer centre housing more than 240,000 square feet of clinic and research space.  Georgetown Lombardi is a National Cancer Institute (NCI)-designated Comprehensive Cancer Center.  

Biocept, Inc. is a molecular diagnostics company with commercial tests targeting lung, breast, gastric, colorectal and prostate cancers and melanoma.  The company uses its proprietary liquid biopsy technology to provide physicians with more precise information for treating and monitoring patients with cancer.