Precede Biosciences announced new data at the European Society for Medical Oncology (ESMO) Annual Meeting, showcasing the potential of its comprehensive epigenomic liquid biopsy platform to determine prostate-specific membrane antigen (PSMA) expression in tumors through a simple blood test. The data indicate a strong correlation between the liquid biopsy results and PSMA-PET imaging, the current standard for assessing PSMA expression.
The ability to accurately determine PSMA expression is crucial, as PSMA is a key target for next-generation prostate cancer therapies. Currently, one PSMA-targeting medicine is FDA-approved, and approximately 30 others are in development. Patient eligibility for the approved medicine, as well as inclusion in ongoing clinical trials, relies on quantitative PSMA-PET imaging.
Potential Impact on Patient Access
According to Dr. Jacob E. Berchuck, Assistant Professor at Emory University's Winship Cancer Institute, the liquid biopsy approach could significantly improve patient access to PSMA-targeted therapies. "Given PSMA-PET is not equally accessible across the USA and across the globe, assessment of PSMA tumor expression from blood could enable optimized patient identification for the one approved and the many emerging medicines targeting PSMA," he stated.
The study presented at ESMO detailed the platform's ability to provide a minimally invasive surrogate for tumor PSMA expression in men with metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer. This is particularly relevant considering the limitations in the availability of PSMA-PET imaging across different regions.
Broader Applications of the Platform
Carl Barrett, Chief Scientific Officer of Precede Bio, highlighted the broader potential of the platform. "These promising data highlight the potential of the Precede Bio platform to resolve important actionable targets from a simple blood draw," he said. The company is also exploring the use of its platform to assess other high-value targets, including DLL3 and STEAP1, with the goal of informing therapy selection for medicines targeting these proteins.
Precede Biosciences aims to improve precision medicine by providing a more accessible and less invasive method for assessing key therapeutic targets. Their platform is currently available to drug developers and academic researchers.
