Biocept's Target Selector liquid biopsy shown to detect HER2 protein in breast cancer patients at San Antonio event

Biocept Inc (NASDAQ:BIOC), a commercial provider of molecular diagnostic assays, announced results from a prospective study showing that its Target Selector liquid biopsy was highly accurate in monitoring the HER2 protein alteration in patients with metastatic breast cancer.   Essentially, the HER2 (human epidermal growth factor receptor 2) protein promotes the growth of cancer cells. Biocept’s Target Selector can detect HER2 in breast cancer patients, giving doctors a crucial piece of information for treatment and doing so more cheaply and less invasively than a tissue biopsy. The results were presented Wednesday at the virtual 2020 San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium (SABC) by Vered Steams, a Professor of Oncology and Director of the Women's Malignancies Disease Group at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. READ: Biocept study of Target Selector cerebrospinal assays presented at neuro-oncology virtual conference "Approximately 20% of newly diagnosed breast cancer is HER2 positive, but during treatment and as the disease progresses, HER2 receptor conversion may occur," Stearns said. "Once breast cancer metastasizes, it may be difficult to access multiple sites or perform serial tissue biopsies to monitor for conversion. In this study, liquid biopsy testing proved to be a highly sensitive and specific mechanism for monitoring HER2 receptor changes over time." Providing clinically actionable information for doctors is a priority for Biocept. "Target Selector has been shown to be a highly sensitive blood-based testing method for identifying changes in HER2 status, and is less invasive, more time efficient and more cost effective compared to tissue biopsy," Biocept CEO Michael Nall said. "Target Selector provides critical information to identify patients who may benefit from the addition of anti-HER2 therapy and those on anti-HER2 therapy for whom additional therapeutic options may warrant consideration." Contact Andrew Kessel at andrew.kessel@proactiveinvestors.com Follow him on Twitter @andrew_kessel