Cizzle Biotechnology Holdings plc, a UK-based diagnostics company, is collaborating with Moffitt Cancer Center to clinically evaluate Cizzle's CIZ1B biomarker assay in patients with suspicious lung nodules. The goal is to improve early-stage lung cancer detection using a simple blood test, potentially reducing reliance on costly and invasive procedures.
The collaboration is part of Moffitt's Phase 2 program, "Using Biomarkers for Diagnosis, Risk Stratification of Post-treatment Recurrence and Long-Term Survival of Lung Cancer," led by Dr. Lary Robinson. The study will assess the CIZ1B biomarker's ability to detect lung cancer early, aiming to decrease false positives and unnecessary interventions caused by CT scans.
CIZ1B Biomarker Evaluation
The study will utilize Cizzle's newly developed monoclonal antibodies, produced in collaboration with BBI Solutions. Blood samples from Moffitt's patients will be analyzed at the University of York, where the CIZ1B biomarker was first developed. This evaluation marks the first time suspected lung cancer patients will be tested for the CIZ1B biomarker as part of a major clinical assessment.
Allan Syms, Executive Chairman of Cizzle Biotechnology, stated, "Our collaboration with Moffitt Cancer Center is a transformative moment for Cizzle... For the first time, patients with suspicious lung nodules at a major cancer clinic will be evaluated using our test as part of their clinical assessment."
Strategic US Expansion
This partnership arose from the early progress of Cizzle's US-based partner, Cizzle Bio Inc. The Moffitt study is crucial in demonstrating the value of a blood-based biomarker test in early lung cancer detection. Cizzle Bio Inc. expects to announce further clinical evaluations with additional major cancer centers and clinics this year.
The Need for Early Detection
Lung cancer claims nearly 5,000 lives daily worldwide. Early detection is critical, and Cizzle's CIZ1B biomarker blood test offers a cost-effective, non-invasive solution to detect lung cancer in its earliest stages, potentially saving lives and reducing healthcare burdens. Current screening methods using low-dose chest CT scans have limitations, including low uptake and high false-positive rates.
Dr. Lary Robinson, Director of the Lung Cancer Early Detection (LEAD) Center Lung Nodule Clinic at Moffitt Cancer Center, said, "Development of a reliable, highly accurate blood biomarker for discovery of early-stage lung cancer would be a tremendous advancement and would be far easier to implement in the routine clinical setting."
The CIZ1B biomarker test aims to address the unmet clinical need for a simple blood test that can detect lung cancer early, improving cancer detection rates and patient outcomes.
