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Pennsylvania-based JBS Science received a $3 million Bridge Award for Small Business Innovation Research IIB from the National Cancer Institute. The company developed the first liquid biopsy product, which is urine DNA screening for early liver cell cancer (HCC).
Despite the monitoring plan for high-risk groups such as patients with chronic hepatitis, cirrhosis, and fatty liver disease, HCC is usually only discovered at an advanced stage. But if HCC can be detected early, the survival rate can be as high as 40%. Although the detection of the biomarker serum alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) currently shows sensitivity, there is still much room for improvement in the early screening of liver cancer.
The technology developed by JBS separates cancer-derived DNA in urine and uses a special PCR detection method to more accurately and sensitively detect circulating tumor DNA biomarkers for liver cancer. In a blind pre-validation study, the company stated that if serum AFP is added, the sensitivity of the method increases to 89%.
JBS said it has cooperated with James Hamilton of Johns Hopkins University Medical Center and Hie-Won Hann of Thomas University Hospital to advance the development of this liver cancer urine test, marking a significant step forward in non-invasive early detection for one of the most difficult cancers to catch in time.
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About Sai Sree
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