Trovagene, Inc. has announced it will continue its clinical collaboration with Genomac Research Institute in Prague, Czech Republic to test Trovagene’s Precision Cancer Monitoring technology in two clinical studies, with the aim to detect oncogene mutations indicating resistant types of colorectal and lung cancer.
“Genomac is an important clinical study partner of Trovagene, and we are impressed with the Institute’s cancer genomic program,” Mark Erlander, Ph.D., chief scientific officer of Trovagene, said in a press release. “Our initial work examining KRAS mutations in archived samples are encouraging. We are increasing the size and scope of this clinical program to demonstrate the utility of our novel molecular diagnostic platform and its potential to improve the standard of care for cancer patients.”
This collaboration seeks to develop prospective multi-center studies in clinical and oncology centers that will specifically focus on lung cancer, enrolling approximately 300 patients.
Previous trials developed by Trovagene used plasma and urine samples from untreated, advanced colorectal cancer patients that tested positive for known KRAS mutations. Trovagene’s quantitative KRAS mutation assay was used to analyze the samples and evaluate the status of KRAS mutations in urine, blood, and tissue samples, showing that there was a high correlation between the assay’s outcome and tumor mutational status.
Trovagene’s technology can detect cell-free DNA in cancer patients’ urine to improve disease management. This technology can provide crucial clinical data with the potential to improve current treatment strategies.
“The emergence of oncogene mutations associated with anti-EGFR treatment resistance, which include KRAS and EGFR T790M, is the main cause of disease progression after initial positive response to first-line colorectal and lung cancer therapies,” Marek Minarik, Ph.D., lead investigator and the director of the Center for Applied Genomics of Solid Tumors at Genomac, added in the press release. “Trovagene provides us with an excellent tool for the non-invasive early detection of imminent cancer progression. We expect this cancer monitoring technology will become a viable alternative to standard imaging techniques, aiding timely decisions on the course of therapy made by our clinical partners.”
