Microfluidic solutions for Liquid Biopsy
A revolutionary approach to cancer diagnosis, prognosis and monitoring
Using centrifugal microfluidics, we can standardize, miniaturize and parallelize liquid biopsy protocols in an automated fashion. Based on polymer cartridges we provide solutions for pre-analytics or analytics, as well as integrated sample-to-answer systems, covering all steps from blood plasma separation to assay readout.
Liquid biopsy has emerged as a revolutionary approach in cancer diagnosis, prognosis, and monitoring, offering several advantages over traditional tissue biopsy methods. Liquid biopsy harnesses biomarkers present in bodily fluids such as blood, urine, or saliva to detect and analyze cancer. This minimally invasive technique provides a comprehensive snapshot of tumor dynamics, enabling clinicians to make informed decisions regarding treatment strategies with greater accuracy and efficiency.
Two promising biomarkers in liquid biopsy are extracellular vesicles (EVs) and cell-free DNA (cfDNA). EVs, small particles with a phospholipid membrane released by cells into bodily fluids, carry a cargo of genetic material, proteins, and other molecules reflective of the parent cell's physiological state. Analysis of EVs allows for the early detection of tumor-specific as well as immune markers, providing valuable insights into cancer progression and treatment response.
Similarly, cfDNA, fragments of DNA released into the bloodstream by dying cells, offers a means of detecting genetic mutations and aberrations associated with cancer. By analyzing cfDNA, clinicians can identify specific genomic alterations characteristic of tumor cells, facilitating diagnosis, monitoring of treatment efficacy, and detection of minimal residual disease or recurrence.
Despite the promising potential of liquid biopsy, several hurdles still impede its widespread application in clinical settings:
Standardization and Validation: One of the primary challenges is the lack of standardized protocols and validated assays for liquid biopsy analysis. Variability in sample processing, isolation techniques, and detection methods can lead to inconsistent results and hinder the reliability of liquid biopsy tests.
Clinical Utility: Demonstrating the clinical utility and cost-effectiveness of liquid biopsy-based tests is essential for their integration into routine clinical practice. Large-scale clinical trials are needed to validate the efficacy of liquid biopsy in guiding treatment decisions, monitoring disease progression, and predicting patient outcomes.
With our LabDisk technology, we address these challenges by:
- Automating the complete extraction process from blood to biomarker on a single cartridge and in a highly reproducible manner.
- Combining different methods (multimodal purification), removing contaminants while leaving the biomarkers intact.
- Integrating biomarker extraction and analysis in a single cartridge, providing a sample-to-answer solution.
- Requiring only one small footprint instrument (LabDisk-Player) for the automation.
- Enabling point-of-care applications.
- Being compatible with robotic automation for increased sample throughput.
