Liquid biopsy technology company ANGLE plc (AIM: OTCQX) on Monday reported new research from the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens demonstrating the benefits of dual analysis of circulating tumour cells (CTCs) and circulating tumour DNA (ctDNA) in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).

The study focused on 30 patients with EGFR-mutated NSCLC treated with AstraZeneca's osimertinib (TAGRISSO), a drug generating around USD6.7bn annually.

Using ANGLE's Parsortix system, researchers isolated CTCs and conducted molecular analysis, identifying mutations, gene expression changes and amplifications. The combined CTC-DNA and ctDNA analysis provided enhanced detection of EGFR T790M resistance mutations and DNA methylation at disease progression, surpassing results from single analyte analysis. This dual approach enables earlier identification of treatment resistance in clinical trials.

CTC analysis also uncovered potential druggable targets, such as HER2, PD-L1, PIM-1 and AXL, offering insights for combined targeted therapies for patients showing resistance to osimertinib. These findings align with ANGLE's strategy to support pharmaceutical research by facilitating patient stratification for alternative treatments.

ANGLE's FDA-cleared Parsortix PC1 system, which enriches CTCs from blood samples, supports comprehensive downstream analysis. With over 100 peer-reviewed studies verifying its efficacy, the system is pivotal for ANGLE's diagnostic and clinical services.