RareCyte expands liquid biopsy offering with the release of a HER2/ER breast cancer CTC Panel Kit

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Oct 31, 2019, 08:04 ET

SEATTLE, Oct. 31, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- RareCyte announces an addition to the RarePlex^®Staining Kit product line, enabling customers to evaluate HER2 and ER expression on circulating tumor cells (CTCs) in their own laboratory. HER2 and ER are biomarkers that direct treatment recommendations for invasive breast cancer, and liquid biopsy offers a blood-based method to evaluate biomarker expression for insight into receptor status, response to treatment, and potentially therapy selection in clinical research.

The RarePlex HER2/ER CTC Panel Kit includes all the reagents necessary for immunofluorescent detection of CTCs along with HER2 and ER expression. When combined with the RareCyte platform for CTC analysis, the RarePlex HER2/ER CTC Panel Kit enables the first blood-to-result breast-specific CTC assay deployable in customer laboratories.

The HER2/ER Panel Kit was validated based on rigorous requirements set to clinical standards with guidance from CLIA and industry experts. Tad George, PhD, Sr. VP of Biology R&D at RareCyte noted "Our approach to CTC assay development and validation is centered on creating deployable products that combine the sensitivity, specificity, and precision required for multi-center trials, not only for CTC enumeration but also for classifying CTCs based on their biomarker phenotypes."

Dr. Minetta Liu, MD, Professor and Research Chair in the Department of Oncology at Mayo Clinic recently presented her work with the HER2/ER CTC Panel Kit at the Advances in Circulating Tumor Cells Conference in Corfu, Greece. "Our early work with this assay has revealed interesting patterns of HER2/ER expression that vary widely across patients. Efforts will now focus on defining thresholds for HER2 and ER positivity that are specific to CTCs. This platform will facilitate important investigations into the clinical significance of CTC heterogeneity relative to standard tissue-based definitions of HER2 positive and/or hormone receptor positive advanced breast cancer."

The HER2/ER Panel Kit is available for purchase and more information on the HER2/ER Panel Kit and the RareCyte platform is available at rarecyte.com.

RareCyte products are for research use only. Not for use in diagnostic procedures.

About RareCyte, Inc.

RareCyte offers next generation instruments, consumables and reagents for the analysis and capture of rare cells from blood and tissue, enabling its foundational liquid biopsy and tissue analysis platform. The company has deep experience in developing advanced precision life science systems used in cutting-edge labs worldwide. Our customers perform innovative research, bring new therapeutics to market, and perform a wide-range of single cell applications in oncology, prenatal testing, and infectious disease. For more information about RareCyte, visit rarecyte.com.

SOURCE RareCyte, Inc.