"ClinSpec Dx is developing the world's first cost-effective blood test for brain cancer and aims to develop other fast, sensitive blood tests for the early detection of other cancers and other diseases. Our next-generation liquid biopsy diagnostic approach analyses the entire biomolecular complement of human serum and when combined with our machine learning / artificial intelligence algorithms provides a disruptive capability to enable early and accurate diagnosis of brain tumours and inform patient treatment.
Early detection and tailored treatment are major goals for world health agencies, both to save costs and improve survival. However, this means a wider population of symptomatic patients must be tested, the majority of which are healthy.
ClinSpec Dx Triage ID is uniquely positioned for early detection of brain cancer because it
\*uses a simple infrared method, designed to comfortably provide a cost-effect test for healthcare agencies
\*does not require the expensive reagents or sample prep used in genetic tests
\*provides a yes/no result in minutes and has low staffing and infrastructure costs.
Based on preliminary Health Economics, the Triage ID test is potentially cost saving when used to assist GPs in more accurately prioritising patients for brain scans. We conservatively estimate savings to the NHS of £12M per annum, by reducing unnecessary brain scans. Improved survival and quality of life will also reduce the economic burden on health services.
We have developed the ClinSpec Dx Triage ID on 724 patients from biobanks worldwide achieving 91.5 % and 92 % sensitivity and specificity respectively. By April 2019 our clinical feasibility study will have recruited 600 patients (currently at 200 patients) who are visiting NHS Lothian for an open access CT programme. This enables us to test our disruptive approach within a clinical setting and on our specific target population. The key objectives and focus areas for this project are to:
1)Undertake a statistically significant diagnostic accuracy test of the ClinSpec Dx Triage ID on a 600-patient post clinical feasibility study
2)Develop our multi-centre clinical trial to enable the collection and analysis of a further 98 serum samples to achieve a total of 1586 serum samples.
3)Understand the ability of the ClinSpec Dx Triage ID to group and route patients for further imaging and treatment based upon
a.Cancer vs. Non-Cancer Status
b.WHO Grade and Pathological Classification of Brain Tumour
c.Identification of particular genotypic features of the tumour such as MGMT and IDH status"