ANGLE plc, in collaboration with Illumina, has announced promising results from a study combining circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) and circulating tumor cell DNA (CTC-DNA) analysis in lung cancer patients. The study, which utilized Illumina's next-generation sequencing (NGS) platform, demonstrated that analyzing both CTC-DNA and ctDNA from a single blood sample significantly improves the detection of cancer mutations, potentially leading to more informed treatment decisions.
The research involved 27 lung cancer patients, with ctDNA isolated from plasma and CTCs harvested using ANGLE's Parsortix system. Both were then analyzed using Illumina’s customized 79-gene lung cancer panel on the NextSeq 2000 platform. The results indicated that in treatment-naive patients (n=8), 100% had cancer mutations identified only in the CTC-DNA and not in the ctDNA. Among patients who had received or were currently receiving treatment (n=19), 90% showed mutations exclusively in CTC-DNA. The study also identified mutations unique to ctDNA, underscoring the complementary nature of the two analyses.
Enhanced Biomarker Discovery
The combined approach effectively doubled the number of detected mutations, offering a more comprehensive profile of a patient's cancer. This is particularly relevant in overcoming the limitations of single-analyte liquid biopsies, which may miss clinically relevant mutations. According to ANGLE's Chief Scientific Officer, Karen Miller, simultaneous analysis of CTCs and ctDNA "significantly expands the potential for liquid biopsy research and clinical drug discovery and development."
Clinical Implications and Future Directions
The ability to identify a broader range of mutations could significantly impact treatment strategies. By providing a more complete picture of the tumor's genetic landscape, clinicians can potentially select more effective targeted therapies or identify resistance mechanisms earlier. This is especially crucial in lung cancer, where acquired resistance to treatments like EGFR inhibitors is a common challenge.
ANGLE and Illumina are keen to further align the Parsortix system with Illumina’s NGS instruments and gene panels. This collaboration aims to enable Illumina customers to integrate Parsortix-based CTC analysis for DNA dual analysis NGS sequencing, facilitating the analysis of large gene panels and cancer-specific mutations. Illumina, with its extensive installed base of sequencing systems, sees substantial opportunity in working closely with ANGLE to advance liquid biopsy capabilities.
Webinar Presentation
Illumina has recognized the importance of these findings by dedicating an entire European Association for Cancer Research (EACR) webinar to ANGLE’s results. The webinar, titled 'Complementary insights: Exploring the dual analysis of circulating tumour cells and circulating DNA', will feature ANGLE’s data, highlighting the clinical utility of this combined approach.
