Biocept Publishes on Mechanics and Performance of Its OncoCEE™ Platform for Circulating Tumor Cells (CTCs) in Cancer Patients

SAN DIEGO, Sept. 28, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Biocept, Inc., a privately-held CLIA-certified laboratory testing company, focused on the detection and analysis of circulating tumor cells (CTCs) in cancer patients, announced today the publication of a paper describing an analysis of CTC capture using its proprietary Cell Enrichment and Extraction (CEE™) platform.  The paper, appearing in the September issue of BioMicrofluidics and entitled "Efficient capture of circulating tumor cells with a novel immunocytochemical microfluidic device," concludes that the CEE system conforms to simple physical principles and that it robustly and efficiently captures tumor cells under a variety of operating conditions.  The Biocept technology platform may allow more sensitive and comprehensive CTC tests for cancer patients than currently available methodologies.

Biocept markets and sells OncoCEE-BR™, a test for breast cancer utilizing CTCs, to community hospitals, pathologists and medical oncologists.  The Company recently announced an agreement with Clarient, Inc., a GE Healthcare Company, to collaborate on the commercialization of this test, which will be performed in Biocept's laboratory. The test includes CTC enumeration and determination of the HER2 status of the detected CTCs by fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) from a simple blood sample.  The Company plans to add ER/PR determination by Immunocytochemistry (ICC) and bone marrow analysis of disseminated tumor cells (DTCs) early in 2012 to the product offering.  OncoCEE-BR™ is the first commercially available CTC test to include analysis of a specific treatment-associated biomarker.  

About Biocept, Inc.

Biocept Laboratories, headquartered in San Diego, California, is a diagnostic and advanced laboratory services company specializing in the capture, detection, isolation and molecular analysis of circulating tumor cells (CTCs). Biocept's mission is to enhance the lives of cancer patients through the development of innovative diagnostic products and services. Biocept utilizes patented and innovative technologies to deliver clinically relevant information to physicians that enable better patient care. This includes clinical assessments of CTCs, both prognostic and predictive, which may provide physicians with information highly relevant for the treatment of their patients with cancer.

SOURCE Biocept, Inc.