Biocept Expands Its Blood Test For Breast Cancer - And Lung Cancers
Shares of Biocept (BIOC) were up almost 46% premarket after the company reported that it has expanded its indications for a blood test for multiple types of cancer. The two new blood test indication the company has added are for Breast Cancer and Lung cancers. In terms of Lung cancers that includes both non-small cell lung cancer -- NSCLC -- and small cell lung cancer. By noon the stock had settled at about 6% over yesterday's close.
To accomplish this Biocept has launched its FGFR1 amplification test to help improve detection in both of these types of cancers. This test helps identify key biomarkers in patients, which may help physicians determine what types of treatments patients will respond to with the type of cancer that they have. The company has stated that the FGFR1 pathway is the driver for uncontrolled cancer cell growth. Because of this the company currently has many trials underway that are specifically targeting this pathway.
Typically small cell lung cancers account for about 10% to 15% of all lung cancers and have a 5-year survival rate when patients are diagnosed. The reason for the poor survival rate for small cell lung cancer is that it is typically diagnosed after the cancer has metastasized and spread to other parts of the body. By that time, treatment options are tough and even more limited because the cancer has spread too much.
Biocept's announcement means that now blood-based testing - a "liquid biopsy" - can be used instead of more cost- and labor-intensive, and more invasive, tissue biopsies.
Disclosure: None.
Like many of these up-and-coming biomed or biopharma companies, they are highly volatile. Often, their stock price is very closely linked to the outcomes of scientific research studies and success rates of medical treatments. Likewise, any setbacks or bad news in these developments can have a powerful negative effect on the stock price. As an investment choice, these sub $5 stocks are highly risky, but if you toss the dice correctly and invest into a pre IPO rocket, better strap on that seat belt tightly because they can be potentially incredibly lucrative.
Not yet a publicly traded company but perhaps one to watch out for in the future is Boston based Alpha Szenszor. It has licensed a highly unique cancer detecting technology and hopes to introduce it to the market within the next few years. This device detects lung cancer by way of a breathalyzer. The device developed by Israeli, US and UK scientists claims to be able to accurately detect lung cancer tumors, and identify its stage of progression.