Inostics DNA Blood Test Provides A More Precise Picture Of Resistance Mutations Than Traditional Biopsies

Date: Apr-11-2013A study presented at the AACR Annual Meeting 2013 indicates that a DNA blood test
using Inostics' BEAMing Digital PCR can detect more mutations associated with secondary
drug resistance in GIST patients than testing conventional biopsies.

Therapies targeted to specific cancer-causing mutations may be the most promising
strategy in cancer treatment. However, inter- and intra-tumor heterogeneity pose a
significant challenge to maximizing therapeutic efficacy. Within a single patient,
different cancer cells may have different sets of mutations making it very difficult to
detect all of the relevant mutations in a single tissue biopsy.

"To develop the right drug for the right patient, and to use those drugs most
effectively, we need to understand the tumor burden in patients as fully as possible.
Inostics' BEAMing technology may offer physicians a real-time composite picture of all the
mutations across all tumors in any given patient using just a simple blood sample", George
D. Demetri, M.D., Director of the Ludwig Center at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and
Harvard Medical School in Boston, Mass., said.

Demetri refers to data from a sub-analysis of the phase III GIST-Regorafenib in
Progressive Desease (GRID) trial, designed to assess the efficacy of regorafenib in
patients with GIST. Comparing conventional sequencing on tumor tissue with data generated
using the BEAMing technology on blood samples they found resistance mutations 4 times more
often in blood samples (48%) than in tumor tissue samples (12%). Furthermore, nearly half
of the blood samples that had secondary KIT mutations harbored multiple secondary
mutations. "By using this technology we hope to develop the most rational drug
combinations and better tests to match patients with the most effective therapies going
forward", Demetri said.

BEAMing technology is a combination of digital PCR and flow cytometry originally
developed by the group of Bert Vogelstein, M.D. at The Johns Hopkins University. Inostics
licensed the technology and adopted it for routine use. Understanding the need of even
more comprehensive coverage for the detection of de novo resistance mutations, Inostics is
currently developing a sequencing based technology. "We are combining our expertise for
highly sensitive mutation detection using BEAMing with the power of sequencing to
hopefully detect all potential primary and secondary resistant mutations in the KIT gene
in the near future" said Philipp Angenendt, Ph.D., Chief Technology Officer of Inostics.

BEAMing is the most sensitive and quantitative technology available today for the
detection of tumor specific somatic mutations in blood samples. Inostics' BEAMing services
are readily available to support clinical trials and research in oncology and have been
successfully used on over 5000 samples in >34 clinical trials. Furthermore, Inostics
offers BEAMing as a CLIA certified laboratory developed test for routine clinical
analysis.

Courtesy: Medical News Today Note: Any medical information available in this news section is not intended as a substitute for informed medical advice and you should not take any action before consulting with a health care professional.