Sensitive treatment target detection using tumour cells from the blood

The expression of treatment targets differs per patient, but also within patients and over time, making selection of therapy a matter of reliable information. To provide this information, Tzu Cancer Therapeutics together with the Erasmus MC and the University of Twente will develop a test using detection of treatment targets on tumour cells obtained from the blood, allowing more sensitive and frequent analysis.

This test will allow better selection of targeted therapy, but also improve the monitoring of the treatment target expression during therapy. The main cause of cancer related deaths is a result of metastatic spread, combined with or as a result of acquired resistance to therapy. By signalling this resistance through the detection of loss of treatment target, but also at the same time identifying other treatment targets expressed, the physician will be increasingly able to adapt the therapy in a timely matter.

For this, we will combine the technology of Tzu for the detection of cancer cells from the blood with multiplex detection of treatment targets. Here the University of Twente will support the production of analysis probes, while the Erasmus MC will assist in the analysis as well as provide clinical samples for an initial clinical pilot.

As a result of this project we aim to deliver a test capable of reliably detecting the expression of >20 different treatment targets in a single test, and on those cells most relevant to the spread of cancer: The circulating tumour cells actively present in the blood.