Biocept awarded US patent to protect its Primer-Switch technology for the detection of rare cell mutations

Biocept Inc (NASDAQ:BIOC), a leading commercial provider of liquid biopsy tests, said it has been awarded a US patent to protect its Primer-Switch technology.  The San Diego company’s technology is useful for the detection of rare cell mutations using circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) analysis through real-time PCR and associated analysis methods, including next-generation sequencing (NGS). Biocept said the grant of the patent expands the company’s intellectual property protection for the detection of rare mutations, including cancer biomarkers found in tissue, blood and cerebrospinal fluid. This is the second issued patent for the Primer-Switch technology, and is another step as Biocept pursues worldwide patent protection. READ: Biocept to provide coronavirus testing to mutli-state healthcare group The company noted that its Primer-Switch technology provides another method for specifically enriching patient specimens for oncogene mutations of interest. Additionally, Primer-Switch technology can be used to enhance the performance and specificity of the PCR method, which is the most widely used amplification approach in diagnostic assays. "Our Primer-Switch methodology has the potential to find rare mutations in PCR reactions, especially where the detection of rare genetic events is needed, or in cases where more precise PCR amplification reactions are desired or required," Biocept CEO Michael Nall said in a statement.  "This technology builds upon our ability to detect rare genetic events in addition to our Switch-Blocker technology, which we routinely use in our ctDNA Target Selector assays. This is another tool in our toolkit for methods to inform on biomarkers found in tissue, blood and cerebrospinal fluid to aid physician decision making in the treatment of their patients with cancer." Contact the author: patrick@proactiveinvestors.com Follow him on Twitter @PatrickMGraham