BioFluidica recently issued an announcement that put the spotlight on its patented technology, Liquid Scan®. The new cartridge technology is designed to replace the invasive and painful bone marrow biopsy.
The biomedical community has shown tremendous enthusiasm for the idea. This is due to the simplicity involved in locating biomarkers, including those related to cancer, which signal a disease or condition.
Circulating tumor cells (CTC) are a type of biomarker. For example, if one viable cell exists among a white blood cell count of six million and a red blood cell count of five billion, BioFluidica’s test can accurately locate that one viable CTC.
About the Studies
BioFluidica’s small study focusing on replacing bone marrow biopsies has been well received and will be continued with the ongoing involvement of AML patients.
The second and larger study received a substantial Phase II Small Business Research Award. Forty AML patients will be enrolled and tracked.
Acute myeloid leukemia (AML), cancer of the bone marrow and blood, will be the focus of this pilot study. The Phase II study will be active for one year and its focus will be on minimal residual disease (MRD). MRD represents cancer cells that are still active after treatment and the resolution of symptoms.
The researchers will also be actively searching for signs of a relapse after therapy. The success of the study depends on the Liquid Scan® technology detecting relapse.
Changes in circulating leukemic cells (CLCs), if detected, will then be sent for confirmation to cytology testing by way of the standard bone marrow biopsy.
Biomarkers in tissue are well suited as indicators of disease and therefore utilized in diagnostics. Tissue, however, is not always easy to acquire.
Therefore, the advent of liquid biopsies may someday eliminate the requirement for tissue entirely.
The main advantage of cytology testing over a tissue biopsy is that there is less discomfort. Other advantages are less risk of complications and lower costs.
Although at times the tissue biopsy may be somewhat more accurate, in the majority of cases, both tests appear to have similar results.
Diagnostic vs. Screening Tests
If a person has signs or symptoms that indicate disease, that person would have a diagnostic test. These tests determine the presence of disease and generally classify the disorder.
On the other hand, screening tests are given to identify people who have a disease even before symptoms occur. Screening is generally conducted on a larger scale but the tests may not always find proof of the disease being present.
A diagnostic test may be used when a screening test identifies a problem that needs further analysis. Other cytology tests may be used to identify cancers. If cancer is found, then the standard biopsy has been used to confirm a diagnosis.
About BioFluidica Technology
BioFluidica CEO Rolf Muller explains that its technology enables the programming of microfluidic chips that isolate any cells which are diagnostically relevant from blood samples taken from blood cancer or solid tumors.
Microfluidics is a science that designs and studies the devices that move or analyze small amounts of liquid, usually smaller than a droplet.
Muller further commented that the company is focusing on detecting panels of circulating leukemia cells to monitor the recurrence of AML.
Muller also noted BioFluidica’s achievements in nine other cancers. A partial list includes pancreatic, prostate, lung, colorectal, and breast cancer. He added that High Throughput Screening for cell isolation will now be used in clinical trials.
High Throughput Screening (HTS)
HTS is a new chemistry and biological scientific method working with hundreds of thousands of samples that are tested simultaneously.
The samples take the form of biological agents such as live cells, amino acids, or chemical compounds. The creation of laboratory robotics has facilitated the collection of huge amounts of data to the extent that scientists can easily access complex biological information.
HTS is used in biotech, academic institutions, and pharmaceuticals for, among other things, validation of a target, drug discovery, and identifying proteins or genes that activate or inhibit biological pathways.
About BioFluidica UK
BioFluidica, a privately held company with offices in Guilford, UK is an early-stage diagnostic company. BioFluidica has developed a revolutionary technology for diagnosis and disease management through Liquid Scan®, its patented technology.
Looking Into the Future
Ninety percent of cancer deaths are caused by metastasis which occurs when cancer cells are carried in the peripheral blood to a new location.
Detecting circulating tumor cells in blood opens new opportunities to identify cancer early, even before it can be seen on radiological images.
Biofludica sees the fulfillment of true liquid biopsy as successfully scanning blood for early signs of disease and locating rare biomarkers. The company hopes to bring its revolutionary liquid biopsy to millions of people.
