NEW YORK – BioCaptiva said Thursday that it has initiated a study, in partnership with the University of the Highlands and Islands and NHS Highland, to evaluate whether its BioCaptis device can isolate cell-free DNA from pleural fluid samples in sufficient quantities for downstream DNA analysis for the diagnosis of pleural disease.
Financial terms of the partnership were not disclosed.
Pleural disease comprises several conditions defined by the thickening of the lining of the lung or fluid between the chest wall and lung, including cancer, infection, and autoimmune disease.
According to the company, cfDNA is present in exudative pleural fluid samples, but often in insufficient concentrations for sequencing to confirm a cancer diagnosis. According to BioCaptiva, a spinout from the University of Edinburgh, only 60 percent of cancers in patients presenting with pleural disease are diagnosed via fluid sampling, with the remainder having to undergo invasive biopsies.
"Due to its ability to increase the amount of cell-free DNA available for liquid biopsy testing, our BioCaptis device has the potential to significantly expedite pleural disease diagnosis times while at the same time reducing overall risks and costs, giving patients the best opportunity for a positive health outcome," BioCaptiva CEO Jeremy Wheeler said in a statement.