Angle Share News (AGL)

Shares in Angle, a specialist medtech company, leapt 20 per cent on Monday after the group said it has extended the operational capability of its Parsortix non-invasive cancer diagnostic product by automating its cell harvesting function.Harvesting is where captured tumour cells are recovered from the Parsortix cassette for molecular analysis.The company's Founder and Chief Executive, Andrew Newland, said: "We have seen widespread demand from researchers and clinicians for circulating tumour cells to be made available in a test tube after isolation from blood. "It is testimony to the versatility of our separation technology that we have been able to introduce and automate this capability in such a short time. The consequent prospects for our Parsortix sales are significant." The Parsortix system's ability to harvest cells for analysis is seen as a major advantage and key competitive differentiator, the group explained. Because of this, top cancer research centres and hospitals currently in discussions with the company have all emphasised the importance of this harvesting capability in meeting a key unmet medical need.The company added: "The Parsortix system now has the potential to provide users with cancer cells for analysis from a simple blood test - a form of "liquid biopsy". This opens the way for the cells to be analysed to identify the specific mutations of the individual patient's cancer using a wide range of genetic and molecular techniques. "This then offers the prospect of personalised medicine with drugs and other treatment selected specifically to address the individual patient's own cancer with better patient outcomes and lower costs of treatment." The share price climbed 21.11% to 54.50p by 15:05 on Monday.NR