ptd's cancer detection test results

Peptech Limited (PTD) announced today that its joint venture partner, Biosceptre International Limited had obtained significant results from a current study into the development of a diagnostic test for cancer. The biotech company advised the antibody detection method developed by Biosceptre had successfully identified 100% of the invasive ovarian carcinomas (malignant cancers of the ovaries) included in the tissue analysis.


Biosceptre managing director Dr Geoff Cumming said initial results from the Monash study were an exciting breakthrough and highlighted the potential for the Biosceptre antibody to be used in the in vitro diagnosis of ovarian cancer.

“A commercial test based on this finding has the potential to allow clinicians to confirm the presence of ovarian cancer using a single slide and single label, and to assess the likely invasiveness of the cancerous lesion,” he said.

The study, conducted at the Ovarian Cancer Research Foundation (OCRF) at Monash Medical Centre in Melbourne tested 55 ovarian tissue samples.

OCRF research fellow and trial co-ordinator Dr Martin Oehler said the result showed that the Biosceptre antibody bound specifically to cancer cells and was able to discriminate with a very high level of accuracy between ‘ovarian cancers’ and ‘borderline’ or ‘benign’ ovarian tumours.

“Using current methods this is extremely difficult, if not impossible. The ability to confidently and easily differentiate between borderline tumours and invasive carcinomas is a significant step forward,” he said.

“The Biosceptre antibody is a promising tool for the differential diagnosis of ovarian tumours. We believe it provides information, not currently available, that may be used to identify patients who warrant additional treatment,” Dr Oehler added.