Ann: Quarterly Activities Report & Appendix 4C, page-25

Some info on liquid biopsies:

Liquid biopsies could mark a major advance in the diagnosis andmonitoring of cancers. These tests give physicians a quick, noninvasive way todetect and analyze genetic material from tumors, thereby enabling the earlydetection of cancers or providing insights into the genetics of the disease.Armed with this knowledge, physicians can act early and effectively to treatthe cancer.

The field is yet to fully deliver on that promise but itspotential has attracted some notable names. Roche is buying its way into thefield through the $2.4 billion takeover of Foundation Medicine, and Qiagen,Siemens and Thermo Fisher Scientific have all struck deals to bolster theirpresence in the sector in recent years.

Now, Bio-Techne has added its name to the list of companies witha stake in the game. The takeover gives Bio-Techne control of four liquidbiopsies.

Three of the liquid biopsies Bio-Techne will get test for ALK,T790M and EGFR mutations in patients with non-small cell lung cancer. Thepresence of these mutations dictates whether a patient will respond to drugsincluding AstraZeneca’s Tagrisso and Roche’s Alecensa. Only the ALK test iscleared for use in patients, but Exosome Diagnostics is already providing theother two to researchers.

The fourth liquid biopsy in Exosome Diagnostics’ portfolio isaimed at prostate cancer patients and is cleared for use in patients. That testis designed to gauge the aggressiveness of the cancer by analyzing threebiomarkers found on exosomal RNA in urine. If the test shows a patient haslow-grade cancer or benign disease, the physician may opt against performing afull biopsy, thereby eliminating unnecessary procedures.

Exosome Diagnostics has not put the tests through the FDAclearance or approval pathways. Rather, it has made two of them availablethrough a process that allows certified clinical laboratories to performcertain tests.

https://www.medtechdive.com/news/bio-techne-closes-250m-exosome-diagnostics-takeover/529287/