WALTHAM, Mass., July 21, 2011 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- On-Q-ity, a company developing next-generation CTC technology to improve the effectiveness of cancer therapies, today announced that using their customized and automated imaging platform for its novel, dual-capture platform technology, the On-Q-ity Circulating Cancer Capture and Characterization Chip (C5) system, researchers were able to demonstrate a CTC capture rate of 97 percent. These laboratory results were presented at the American Association of Clinical Chemistry (AACC) 2011 Annual Meeting, held in Atlanta, GA, July 24-28.
Circulating tumor cells, or CTCs, are frequently present in the blood of cancer patients and can be captured by a variety of mechanisms. The analysis and characterization of CTCs in blood will enable clinical researchers to identify CTCs with a variety of alterations in DNA, RNA or proteins. Clinical researchers will be able to use the On-Q-ity technology to guide targeted therapies, monitor treatment efficacy and detect cancer recurrence.
The study analyzed On-Q-ity's dual capture C5 chip, combining size and antibody affinity, using the customized C5 Imaging Platform to ensure efficacy and efficiency. Researchers used both cultured tumor cells spiked into normal blood and samples from patients with advanced cancers. Each C5 chip used an antibody for EpCAM (epithelial cell adhesion molecule) expression, a protein associated with almost all carcinomas, to capture the CTCs. The On-Q-ity C5 chip also used gradient sizing to isolate those cancer cells that may not have been captured through antibody affinity.
"While CTCs are becoming more accepted as important independent prognostic factors as well as valuable markers in prediction of therapy response, current methods used to capture CTCs are limited to antibody affinity," said Walter P. Carney, Ph.D, Chief Scientific Officer at On-Q-ity. "The On-Q-ity C5 system allows capture based on both size and affinity, thereby capturing more cells, including EpCAM negative cells that have proven elusive. Using an advanced algorithm automated imaging platform, we were able to confirm a high detection rate of these CTCs, with 97% of the spiked cells captured through both affinity and size."
On-Q-ity researchers found that the spiked cell capture efficacy was replicated using the same imaging system with cancer patient samples. In addition, the C5 CTC Imaging Platform achieved a high scan throughput, which makes the technology attractive for both research and clinical use.
"This automated imaging system helps us move closer to creating the 'panel of biomarkers' that are found in CTCs and that we can share with our partner companies," said Carney "Greater efficacy and efficiency in CTC capture and characterization will provide greater insight into the mechanisms that drive CTCs, leading to better treatments for cancer patients."
On-Q-ity researchers plan to conduct large scale studies with partner companies to characterize viable CTCs in the next year.
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Poster #A24
Detecting Circulating Tumor Cells from a Microfluidic Chip Using a Customized Imaging Platform |
About On-Q-ity
On-Q-ity is a next-generation diagnostics company transforming cancer treatment through non-invasive diagnostic monitoring. The company is developing innovative diagnostics based on circulating tumor cell technology to identify the unique characteristics of an individual's cancer through a simple blood test, predicting the response to therapy, and monitoring the efficacy of treatment. Headquartered in Waltham, MA, On-Q-ity is funded by Atlas Venture, Bessemer Venture Partners, Mohr Davidow, Northgate Capital and Physic Ventures. For more information visit our website: www.On-Q-ity.com