Beyond Liquid Biopsy: Blood Test Can Boost Cancer Detection, Diagnosis With the Tumor Microenvironment (TME), Early Validation Results Reveal (White Paper)

SYKESVILLE, MD–(Marketwired – Jun 15, 2017) – OTraces Inc., a biotech company developing blood tests for cancer diagnosis, announces the development of the first blood test to access the diagnostic content of the Tumor Microenvironment (TME) — widely recognized in cancer research as a vast and dynamic storehouse of cancer information that far exceeds the tumor itself or the known resources of DNA-based liquid biopsy. OTraces researchers have issued a white paper describing its technology in detail and available at http://www.OTraces.com.

In early validation trials of prostate cancer and breast cancer patients, OTraces’ TME-based cancer screening blood test appears to indicate:

• Definitive determination of whether cancer is present or not;
• Differentiation between aggressive and non-aggressive tumors;
• Determination of cancer stage and tracking cancer progression; and
• Lower Cost per test (estimated to be less than $100).

“OTraces is preparing to complete prostate cancer validation trials at Johns Hopkins University Medical Center under the direction of Dr. Kenneth J. Pienta, MD, considered a world authority on prostate cancer research and the TME,” said Keith Lingenfelter, OTraces’ CEO. “This test could save time, money, improve patient outcomes and, most importantly, save lives.” 

A brief summary of the initial findings in the white paper includes:

1) Accessing the diagnostic information that resides in the “Tumor Microenvironment (TME),” the cellular structures and fluids that surround a cancer tumor and which recent research has indicated is a vast storehouse of tumor activity information that far exceeds tumor markers or the DNA isolated in circulating cancer tumor cells (CTCs) as utilized by liquid biopsy;

2) Math- and physics-based noise suppression technology that enhances diagnostic accuracy by reducing “proteomic noise” (associated with all known biomarkers, as described in the White Paper) — a longstanding problem that continues to plague the industry and that OTraces has largely resolved as evidenced by validation trials for both prostate and breast cancer where their tests have averaged 90%+ accuracy as determined by predictive power, considered one of the most demanding performance standards in the industry. This compares favorably with an estimated current industry average of 70-75% predictive power for most tests;

3) Technology resides in cloud-based software (that is expected to amplify virtually any biomarker) which will be available via the web for in vitro cancer and disease diagnosis for physicians, laboratories and companies worldwide seeking biomarker optimization through collaboration with OTraces. Possibilities range from multiple currently marketed CLIA lab tests in the U.S. to a urine based screen for cancer in the Far East.

For more information, please visit www.OTraces.com or email [email protected].

About OTraces Inc.
OTraces, Inc. (www.OTraces.com) is a privately-held biotech company based in Sykesville, MD, that provides advanced oncology diagnostic systems. It has developed a protein-based technology (proteomics) for detecting cancers with simple blood tests. OTraces is plans to raise $6 million in a preferred stock offering to complete prostate cancer validation trials in the U.S. and to advance commercialization of its breast cancer test abroad. Unlike players in the liquid biopsy field, OTraces’ software is extensively patented, biomarker-agnostic, cloud-based and management believes the company’s tests offer a range of clinical and cost advantages with respect to global screening criteria.