6 Jun 2024
UK-based Oxford BioDynamics partners with various researchers and departments at University of Minnesota on test that can detect and differentiate between six cancer types.
Paul Imrie
Job Title
Image: Oxford BioDynamics
A UK-based biotechnology company has partnered with a US university to develop a diagnostic test for six different types of cancer in dogs.
Oxford BioDynamics (OBD), which has developed precision medicine tests based around its EpiSwitch 3D genomics platform, has launched EpiSwitch SCB, which it says is a “high-accuracy, discriminating multi-cancer canine diagnostic test for veterinary medicine”.
It has been developed involving multiple individuals and departments at the University of Minnesota, in particular Jaime Modiano, professor at the College of Veterinary Medicine and Masonic Cancer Center.
EpiSwitch SCB has been described as a “well-balanced, highly accurate blood test to specifically diagnose canine diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL), T-zone lymphoma (TZL), hemangiosarcoma (HSA), histiocytic sarcoma, osteosarcoma, and canine malignant melanoma, in a powerful single assay format”.
Validated using 3D whole-genome profiling in peripheral blood, it demonstrated high sensitivity and specificity for lymphomas and sarcomas as a class at more than 80% accuracy, and as high sensitivity and specificity for specific individual indications at greater than 89% accuracy.
The validation results are available in an article on bioRxiv.
Veterinary oncology requires accurate, specific, sensitive and non-invasive biomarker assays to aid diagnosis earlier and better inform treatment interventions.
EpiSwitch SCB will now be made available to a select number of vets who will use it to generate real-world utility data to further validate the published study results.
It is then hoped commercialisation of the test will be through a partnership or outsourcing arrangement with an existing pet health care player.
Alexandre Akoulitchev, chief strategy officer for OBD, said: “EpiSwitch SCB combines all the advantages of EpiSwitch blood based biomarkers with a novel proprietary multi-choice EpiSwitch array design.
“Once again, we were determined to translate to practice the full potential of our EpiSwitch technology, this time to tackle a prevalent veterinary challenge in support of our four legged friends.”
Prof Modiano said: “The ability to detect the presence of common, life-threatening dog cancers with high accuracy using blood samples provides an improvement over current methods of diagnosis, reducing or eliminating the need for invasive biopsy procedures.
“I believe that the eventual implementation of these tests also has potential to enhance the precision and therefore improve the management and outcomes of canine cancer patients.”
