Oxford BioDynamics Develops a High Accuracy, Discriminating Diagnostic Test for Multiple Canine Cancers

• EpiSwitch® Specific Canine Blood (EpiSwitch® SCB) test is a new canine multi-cancer diagnostic test based on OBD’s non-invasive EpiSwitch® array platform
• Test developed in collaboration with leading US KOL Professor Jaime F Modiano, University of Minnesota, USA
• Test offers early blood-based detection and discrimination of six high-utility, frequently occuring cancer types: three sarcomas, two lymphomas, and malignant melanoma, each with balanced accuracy of >89%
• Real-world utility data with selected veterinary services will further validate the test

OXFORD, England--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Oxford BioDynamics Plc (AIM: OBD, the “Company”), a biotechnology company developing precision medicine tests based on the EpiSwitch® 3D genomics platform, announces development of a high-accuracy, discriminating multi-cancer canine diagnostic test for veterinary medicine.

The test was developed in collaboration with Veterinary Referral Associates, Gaithersburg MD, USA; Animal Cancer Care and Research Program, University of Minnesota, St. Paul, MN, USA; Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Minnesota, St. Paul, MN, USA; Masonic Cancer Center, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA; Center for Immunology, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN; Stem Cell Institute, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN; Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, University of Minnesota Medical School, Minneapolis, MN; and Institute for Engineering in Medicine, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN.

OBD’s EpiSwitch® SCB (“Scooby”) test is 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. The test was validated using 3D whole-genome profiling in peripheral blood. It demonstrated high sensitivity and specificity for lymphomas and sarcomas as a class (accuracy >80%); and high sensitivity and specificity for specific individual indications, with an accuracy >89%. The validation results are published in BioRxiv (link here).

There is a critical need in veterinary oncology for an accurate, specific, sensitive, non-invasive (blood) biomarker assay to assess canine oncological indications earlier, to better inform therapeutic interventions. Current alternatives for non-invasive canine cancer detection deliver only a “cancer/no cancer” outcome, with low specificity and no distinction between different cancer types. Effective therapeutic intervention requires a definitive identification of a specific cancer type – often a difficult task in current veterinary practice.

OBD’s newly published study demonstrates a novel 3D genomic approach that can diagnose six canine cancers, as well as support continuing upgrade for additional diagnostic profiles, in a modular manner. The EpiSwitch® SCB test promises to help veterinary specialists to diagnose the disease, make more informed treatment decisions, minimize or avoid unnecessarily toxicity, and efficiently manage costs and resources.

EpiSwitch SCB will be made available to a select group of vets who will generate real-world utility data that will further validate the test. It is expected that the commercialisation of the EpiSwitch ECB test will be through a partnership or outlicensing arrangement with an organisation with an existing presence in the pet healthcare market.

Dr Sara Fritz, Veterinary Referral Associates, Gaithersburg MD, USA, said: “My first use of the EpiSwitch SCB test helped navigate a very complex case of canine cancer relapse in the absence of options from the current standards of care. This test opens possibilities for a quick and reliable diagnosis in the very cases where time is at premium.”

Professor Jaime Modiano, College of Veterinary Medicine and Masonic Cancer Center, University of Minnesota, USA 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.”

Dr Alexandre Akoulitchev, CSO, 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.”

Reference

Ewan Hunter, Matthew Salter, Ryan Powell, Ann Dring, Tarun Naithani, Dominik Vugrinec, Kyrylo Shliaiev, Mutaz Issa, Cicely Weston, Abigail Hatton, Abel Gebregzabhar, Jayne Green, Anthony Blum, Thomas Guiel, Sara Fritz, Davis Seelig, Jaime F Modiano, Alexandre Akoulitchev

bioRxiv 2024.05.22.595358; doi: https://doi.org/10.1101/2024.05.22.595358

Whole Genome 3D Blood Biopsy Profiling of Canine Cancers: Development and Validation of EpiSwitch Multi-Choice Array-Based Diagnostic Test.

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