BioCaptiva, a Scottish biotech company has developed a “liquid biopsy” technology device that aims at revolutionizing the early diagnosis and monitoring of challenges in detecting cancers.
The University of Edinburgh spin-out raised more than £1 million in seed funding from Archangels, a Scottish Enterprise, and an Edinburgh-based business angel investment syndicate to help in developing the technology.
BioCaptiva appointed Dr. Stephen Little as a non-executive director and Dr. Frank Armstrong FRCPE as non-executive chairman to help the company towards its preparation for the next developmental stages.
The company developed a medical device that captures cfDNA (circulating free DNA) from patients’ blood in larger quantities than the capacity of the existing standard of a single blood draw, to overcome an important current limitation of cancer liquid biopsy testing. Named BioCollector, it functions with a standard apheresis machine that filters cfDNA from the bloodstream of patients.
The BioCollector is a result of decades of research at the University of Edinburgh which the director of the Center for Genomic and Experimental Medicine, Professor Tim Aitman led, and Professor Mark Bradley, of Edinburgh’s School of Chemistry. Both researchers cofounded and directed the new company.
Prototypes show the ability to detect early-stage cancers in patients without the need for surgical biopsy, showing promising approaches to monitor and detect recurrence of diseases which is currently not possible. This signifies it’s possible to gain more insight into tumor biology leading to better outcomes for patients.
The seed investment allows BioCaptiva to in-license the technology and carry out its first trials to show it’s not harmful to humans. BioCaptiva was launched with the support of Edinburgh Innovations, the University of Edinburgh’s commercialization service.
If the technology becomes successful, BioCaptiva aims to improve its technology by running more samples and tests from rat models for oncology research thoroughly before the regulatory clinical trials which it plans to complete in 2024.
The company expects to get interested from companies that develop novel cancer tests which limit current methods of extracting cfDNA, where the BioCollector can perform optimally by increasing the sensitivity of their detection methods.
The CEO of BioCaptiva, Jeremy Wheeler said: “The BioCollector is a disruptive technology that will help transform liquid biopsy testing. We are confident that the new technology platform will have a good impact in this aspect and ultimately allow detection of cancers detection more quickly and accurately, to enable patients to receive precision cancer treatment as early as possible.”
Professor Tim Aitman, director of, Centre for Genomic and Experimental Medicine, University of Edinburgh, added: “I’m delighted that after several years of work with colleagues in Edinburgh, we will now progress towards first-in-human trials. BioCollector will provide a step-change in the capabilities of liquid biopsy for cancer detection and diagnosis. We are excited to be moving our device into this market with its huge potential for advances in the care of patients with cancer.”
