Last checked at 
(Alliance News) - Angle PLC on Thursday said a European cancer centre, University Medical Centre Hamburg-Eppendorf, has published results of work demonstrating that its Parsortix system can be used as a liquid biopsy to investigate prediction and monitoring of therapy responses for melanoma patients.
Malignant melanoma is the deadliest form of skin cancer, Angle noted.
The liquid biopsy company said the European cancer centre used Parsortix over a five-year period, with follow-up in some cases for three years. The results showed that Parsortix can harvest circulating tumour cells from some melanoma patients, where other cell surface marker dependent systems are unable to do so.
This development holds the potential to shift current treatment options for melanoma, Angle explained. Analysis of circulating tumour cells harvested from melanoma patients opens up the potential for Parsortix's use as a companion diagnostic to select appropriate therapies and regularly monitor patients with melanoma.
Angle said the researchers demonstrated that the presence of circulating tumour cells in a patient's blood sample indicated relapse earlier than standard imaging techniques.
"As the deadliest form of skin cancer, there is a clear need for reliable biomarkers in melanoma. Initially, these can be used in drug trials where the detection of likely responders to the drug is essential and a key commercial need for pharma companies. Ultimately there is the potential for routine clinical use as a companion diagnostic in melanoma," said Angle Chief Executive & Founder Andrew Newland.
Angle shares were trading flat on Thursday in London at 69.00 pence each.
By Evelina Grecenko; evelinagrecenko@alliancenews.com
Copyright 2019 Alliance News Limited. All Rights Reserved.
