Cardiff, UK – 21st January 2014 – EKF Diagnostics, the global in vitro diagnostics business, announces a major breakthrough for its PointMan™ DNA enrichment technology for potential use in future cancer testing and treatment.
The first successful results of a collaboration between EKF Molecular Diagnostics and the Institute of Life Sciences at Swansea University have demonstrated the detection of gene mutations in blood from samples archived in the Wales Cancer Bank. The Company’s PointMan™ technology was used to analyse the whole blood of cancer patients diagnosed with metastatic melanoma (skin cancer that has spread) enabling the identification of gene mutations associated with response to drug treatment.
Crucially, the results observed for mutations in the gene BRAF were consistent with the formalin fixed paraffin embedded (FFPE) tissue samples. FFPE being the laboratory standard method to prepare all biopsy samples for pathology review in order to diagnose the cancer. These results have been confirmed by DNA sequencing which had failed to identify the mutations prior to sample enrichment through EKF’s PointMan™ technology.
Dr Ricardo Del Sol, Senior Lecturer, ILS Swansea University, commented: “These results are a clear indication of the potential for PointMan to enable the use of a blood sample to assess the mutation status of cancer patients. We look forward to continuing this important work with EKF Molecular to validate our findings.”
Julian Baines, CEO of EKF, commented: “This is a major step forward not just for the Company but also for the future testing of cancer patients where we hope that less-invasive testing will become routine using our PointMan technology. We are looking forward to continuing to work with ILS Swansea to continue to build the evidence base. Further evidence will be generated from other collaborations and I look forward to providing further updates during 2014.”
EKF Molecular’s portfolio of PointMan DNA enrichment products include; BRAF, KRAS, EGFR, NRAS and JAK2. PointMan, is a real-time PCR technology that provides reliable and extremely sensitive detection for cancer mutations. It is highly efficient in amplifying the target sequence of interest, whilst suppressing amplification of the wild-type. The resulting sample is effectively enriched for the mutation, thereby having the potential to offer industry leading sensitivity in a wide variety of sample types, including whole blood. This is demonstrated in the ILS Swansea study.
Julian Baines added: “This achievement is in line with the Company’s vision to change current DNA extraction and detection practices and address the fast growing companion diagnostics market. Current collaborations focus on the unmet requirements for patient monitoring from a peripheral sample thereby negating the requirement for a surgical procedure to obtain a tissue biopsy and screening for early cancer diagnosis.”
For more information on EKF Diagnostics, please visit www.ekfdiagnostics.com.
About EKF Diagnostics
www.ekfdiagnostics.com
EKF Diagnostics Holdings plc specializes in the development, production and worldwide distribution of point-of-care blood analyzers for use in the detection and management of diabetes, anemia, lactate and kidney related diseases. Its new Molecular division focuses on molecular and companion diagnostics.
Point-of-care diagnostics: EKF Diagnostics’ expertise covers the entire in vitro diagnostics chain, from fermentation and enzyme production, to liquid reagent manufacture, design and building of world-class diagnostic devices, and distribution of rapid test kits for infectious diseases and pregnancy. The EKF analyzer range is used widely in GP surgeries, pharmacies, blood banks, sports clinics, hospitals and laboratories for glucose, lactate, hemoglobin, hematocrit and HbA1c measurement.
Companion Diagnostics: In March 2013 EKF set up a new division to focus on molecular and companion diagnostics - EKF Molecular Diagnostics develops technologies for cancer gene detection. Through its acquisition of UK-based 360 Genomics and by offering innovative products with the potential to change current DNA extraction and detection practices, EKF is addressing the fast growing companion diagnostics market.
EKF Diagnostics products are sold in more than 100 countries around the globe. EKF Diagnostics’ strengths lie in its multi-national research and manufacturing facilities, teams of experienced analysts and engineers in Germany, Ireland, USA and the UK, and a board led by some of world’s foremost authorities in medical diagnostics.
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