100th publication supporting Parsortix system use

Whole Genomic Sequencing and machine learning identifies key cancer genes associated with DNA proliferation and repair

ANGLE plc (AIM:AGL OTCQX:ANPCY), a world-leading liquid biopsy company with innovative circulating tumour cell (CTC) solutions for use in research, drug development and clinical oncology, is pleased to announce the publication of the 100th peer-reviewed journal article using the Parsortix® system for the isolation, harvest and analysis of CTCs.

The journal article is published by researchers from a leading international referral centre for the treatment and study of cancer, the Fondazione IRCCS - Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori Di Milano (Italy). It reports on the isolation of CTCs from triple negative breast cancer patients for analysis using single cell isolation and whole genomic sequencing (WGS). WGS is the most comprehensive genetic test available, sequencing an individual's entire genome to reveal unique mutations that may be present in cancer cells. Although not yet routinely used in clinical practice, WGS can allow the identification of genetic drivers of cancer and potential new targeted treatments. In this study the Parsortix system harvested intact cancer cells from patient blood samples for WGS. Sequencing data was analysed using a machine learning algorithm to identify cancer genes associated with DNA proliferation and repair. The authors conclude that this cost-effective sequencing assay has the potential to guide clinical patient management.

The 100 publications using the Parsortix system span a decade of research across 24 cancer types responsible for 90% of cases of solid cancers. Research has been borne out of 42 independent research institutes, hospitals and universities in 15 countries covering Europe, UK, US, and Australia. During this time CTC analysis has evolved from simple enumeration to predict patient prognosis, to the detailed analysis of clinically relevant biomarkers using immunofluorescence, PCR and next generation sequencing (NGS). These downstream molecular analyses have evolved to provide highly accurate, fast and cost-effective testing with the potential to rapidly advance the personalised treatment of cancer.

Chief Scientific Officer, Karen Miller, commented:

"This publication marks a decade of independent research where the Parsortix system has been used to provide insights into tumour biology, metastatic progression and treatment response.

Whilst ctDNA profiling is more established in the clinic, in recent years there has been an increase in the number of publications analysing both CTCs and ctDNA. These studies have found that CTCs can provide additional and complementary information to ctDNA or tissue alone and therefore a more comprehensive view of the tumour and its interaction with the microenvironment. We firmly believe that multi-analyte assessment holds the potential to unlock the full clinical capabilities of liquid biopsy as a less invasive and more cost-effective alternative to tissue biopsy."

The research has been published as a peer-reviewed publication in the journal Scientific Reports is available online at https://angleplc.com/resources/publications/.