Last checked at 17 Sep 2014 07:00
For immediate release | 17 September 2014 |
ANGLE plc ("the Company")
OVARIAN CANCER COLLABORATION WITH THE MEDICAL UNIVERSITY OF VIENNA
ANGLE plc (AIM: AGL), the specialist medtech company, is pleased to announce it has signed a collaboration agreement with the Ludwig Boltzmann Cluster 'Translational Oncology' located at the Medical University of Vienna to investigate the clinical use of the Parsortix system for ovarian cancer.
The collaboration is led by the head of the interdisciplinary Molecular Oncology Group at Medical University of Vienna, Professor Robert Zeillinger.
The Medical University of Vienna is one of the leading research institutions in Europe. Prof Zeillinger has 30 years' experience in the field of molecular oncology, experimental oncology, gynaecologic oncology, and was initiator and coordinator of the EU FP6 project OVCAD (ovarian cancer diagnosing a silent killer). He is author and co-author of more than 200 scientific publications and holds several patents.
The Molecular Oncology Group is an active member of EUTROC (European Network for Translational Research in Ovarian Cancer), which brings together all the leading ovarian cancer experts in Europe and is leading a number of Phase I and Phase II clinical trials for new drugs to address ovarian cancer. The Group is also a member of TOC (International Tumour Bank Ovarian Cancer Initiative), where Prof Zeillinger serves as a member of the scientific board.
Furthermore, Prof Zeillinger and his team are taking the lead on 'companion diagnostics' in the major GANNET53 Europe-wide multi-centre ovarian cancer clinical trial to test a new drug strategy for chemotherapy resistant ovarian cancer with Phase I and Phase II trials planned for 2015.
Prof Zeillinger and his team are evaluating the Parsortix system for its efficacy at capturing circulating tumour cells (CTCs) from ovarian cancer patient blood with the ambition of using the system in combination with RNA markers for CTCs that have already been developed by the team. There is particular interest in the Parsortix system as it is epitope-independent and does not use an antibody-based capture process, which is known to be limited in its effectiveness for ovarian cancer, since most of ovarian cancer CTCs do not express the epithelial cell surface marker EpCAM which is widely used for CTC capturing.
ANGLE is strongly focused on establishing the use of the Parsortix system in clinical practice. To achieve this, the top priority is the establishment of collaborations with key opinion leaders at world class research centres. These key opinion leaders are working to identify applications with medical utility (clear benefit to patients), and to secure clinical data that demonstrates that utility in patient studies. ANGLE believes this is the optimal approach for unlocking the multi-billion dollar worldwide market available to the Company and its potential strategic partners.
Professor Zeillinger, Head of the Molecular Oncology Group at The Medical University of Vienna, commented:
"Existing antibody-based systems do not work well with ovarian cancer so we are very pleased to be working with ANGLE and the Parsortix system. Some 67,000 women are diagnosed with ovarian cancer Europe-wide each year and 42,000 die annually of this disease. A major treatment obstacle is the fact that although about 75% of patients respond to first-line chemotherapy, most of these patients relapse and eventually die of the disease. We hope that by investigating the CTCs of patients, using ANGLE's Parsortix system, we can identify ways to improve the treatment offered to these patients."
ANGLE Founder and Chief Executive, Andrew Newland, commented:
"Professor Zeillinger and his team are world leaders in gynaecological cancers. Ovarian cancer has a particularly poor outcome as there is little targeted therapy available. We hope that, using the Parsortix system to harvest CTCs, Prof Zeillinger and his team may be able to use targeted drugs more effectively and improve the overall outcome for ovarian cancer patients in the future."
For further information:
ANGLE plc | 01483 685830 |
Andrew Newland, Chief Executive Ian Griffiths, Finance Director
| |
Cenkos Securities Stephen Keys, Dr Christopher Golden (Nominated adviser) Andy Roberts, Christian Hobart (Sales)
| 020 7397 8900 |
Buchanan Mark Court, Fiona Henson, Sophie Cowles | 020 7466 5000 |
Explanation of Frequently Used Terms in connection with the Parsortix system
Term | Explanation |
Biopsy | Process by which cancer cells are removed from the tumour for molecular analysis |
Capture | Process for capturing target cells from sample |
Capture efficiency | Proportion of target cells captured |
CD45 | The CD45 antibody recognises the human CD45 antigen, also known as the leukocyte common antigen. WBC are CD45+ whereas CTCs are CD45-. Staining with CD45 often used as a negative confirmation that CTCs are not WBC |
Cell-free DNA | Genomic DNA found in the plasma |
Cell labelling | Technique involving the staining of target cells with fluorescent and/or chromogenic markers for cell identification |
Cell lines | Cultured cells |
CE Mark | Regulatory authorisation for the sale of products for clinical use in the European Union |
Circulating tumour cell | Cancer cell that is circulating in the patient blood |
CTC | Circulating tumour cell |
CTC labelling | CTCs are often labelled with three markers and are formally identified as CTCs if they are CK+, CD45-, DAPI+ |
CK | Cytokeratin |
CK+ | A cell positive for the presence of cytokeratin protein or mRNA with the presence of distinct cytokeratins often used to identify epithelial cells |
Clinical application | Use in treating patients |
Clinical samples | Patient samples usually blood |
Clinical use | Use in treating patients |
Cultured cells | Cultured cells grown in the laboratory from human-derived cells used for experimental work |
Cytokeratin | Cytokeratins are family of intracytoplasmic cytoskeleton proteins with members showing tissue specific expression |
DAPI | A nuclear stain that is often used to identify the nucleus in a cell. |
DEPArray™ | A commercial single cell isolation system |
DNA | Deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) the molecule that encodes the genetic instructions used in the development and functioning of all known living organisms and many viruses |
Downstream technologies
| Technologies used to undertake molecular analysis of harvested cells after the separation has taken place |
EGFR | The epidermal growth factor receptor a signalling molecule which is typically present on the cell surface and can cell activity including cell proliferation. Mutations in EGFR or deregulation have been associated with a number of cancers including ~30% of all epithelial cancers |
Enrichment | Generic term for concentrating target cells or molecules in a starting heterogeneous mixture |
EpCAM | The EpCAM protein is found spanning the membrane that surrounds epithelial cells, where it is involved in cell adhesion |
EpCAM+ cells | Cells that express EpCAM. CTCs can be either EpCAM+ or EpCAM- |
Epithelial cells | Cells that line the surfaces and cavities of the body |
Epithelial CTCs | CTCs that are epithelial often based on EpCAM+ |
Epithelial-mesenchymal transition | Process by which epithelial cells lose their cell polarity and cell-cell adhesion, and gain migratory and invasive properties to become mesenchymal cells. EMT is thought to occur as part of the initiation of metastasis and is often responsible for cancer progression |
EMT | Epithelial-mesenchymal transition |
FDA | U.S. Food and Drug Administration responsible for authorised medical products in the United States |
FDA 510(k) | A 510(k) is a premarket submission made to FDA to demonstrate that the device to be marketed is at least as safe and effective, that is, substantially equivalent, to a legally marketed device that is not subject to Premarket Approval. Submitters must compare their device to one or more similar legally marketed devices and make and support their substantial equivalency claims |
Genome | Genetic material of an organism. The genome includes both protein coding and non-coding sequences |
Harvest | Process for recovering captured cells from the separation system to allow molecular analysis |
Harvest efficiency | Proportion of target cells harvested |
Harvest purity | The number of target cells (such as CTCs) in the harvest as a proportion of the WBC. The minimum purity from which downstream analysis is possible is 0.5%. Analysis of one target cell therefore requires no more than 200 WBC be in the harvest |
HER2 | A member of the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR/ERBB) family. Amplification or overexpression of HER2 has been shown to play an important role in the development and progression of certain aggressive types of breast cancer. In recent years the protein has become an important biomarker and target of therapy for ~30% of breast cancer patients |
HNV | Healthy normal volunteer |
HT29 | Cultured colorectal cancer cell line |
In-cassette labelling or in-situ labelling | CTC labelling for cell identification undertaken inside the separation system |
KRAS | A signalling molecule frequently mutated in the development of many cancers |
Leukocytes | White blood cells |
Liquid biopsy | Term used for the process of obtaining cancer cells (or cell-free DNA) from a blood sample. Unlike solid biopsy, liquid biopsy is non-invasive and repeatable. |
Mesenchymal CTCs | CTCs generally lacking epithelial markers with mesenchymal features |
Metastasis | Spread of a cancer from one site to another |
Molecular analysis | Analysis of DNA, RNA and protein often used to determine the mutational status of a patient |
mRNA | Messenger RNA used to direct the synthesis of proteins |
NSCLC | Non Small Cell Lung Cancer |
Off-chip labelling | CTC labelling for cell identification of harvested cells undertaken outside the separation system |
Paired samples | Two related samples often used to compare different systems |
Personalised cancer care | Treating a patient individually based on their personal data often including mutational and disease status |
Plasma | Pale-yellow liquid component of blood obtained following removal of cells |
Pre-labelled cell lines | Cells which are labelled often with a fluorescent label to facilitate identification during analysis or enrichment |
RNA | Ribonucleic acid performs multiple vital roles in the coding, decoding, regulation, and expression of genes. Together with DNA, RNA comprises the nucleic acids, which, along with proteins, constitute the three major macromolecules essential for all known forms of life |
Separation | Term used for processing of a sample through the Parsortix system |
Single cell analysis | Extraction of a single target cell from the harvest for analysis |
Solid biopsy | Standard process for surgically excising (cutting out) cells from a solid tumour when that tumour is accessible. |
Spiked cell experiments | Experiments where cultured cells are added (spiked) to HNV blood to assess the capture and harvest efficiency of the system |
WBC | White blood cells |
WGA | Whole genome amplification |
Whole genome amplification | Method for amplification of an entire genome necessary for the picogram amounts of genomic DNA present in a single cell |