PointMan™ successfully enriches low-level mutations in DNA extracted from blood

EKF Diagnostics Holdings plc announces a significant breakthrough in its PointMan™ technology, which could potentially be used 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.

Very importantly, the results observed for mutations in the gene BRAF were consistent with the formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded (FFPE) tissue samples. FFPE is the standard laboratory method for preparing all biopsy samples for pathology review to diagnose cancer. DNA sequencing, which failed to identify the mutations before sample enrichment through our PointMan™ technology, has confirmed these results.

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 look forward to continuing to work with ILS Swansea to build an evidence base. Further evidence will be generated from other collaborations, and I look forward to providing you with more updates during 2014.”

EKF Molecular’s portfolio of PointMan™ DNA enrichment products includes BRAF, KRAS, EGFR, NRAS, and JAK2. This achievement aligns with the Company’s vision to change 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.