Biocept Awarded Patent in Australia for the Use of Antibodies in Microchannels to Capture Circulating Tumor Cells and Other Rare Cells

SAN DIEGO, Jan. 19, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Biocept, Inc. (NASDAQ: BIOC), a leading commercial provider of clinically actionable liquid biopsy tests to improve the management of cancer patients, announces that it has been awarded Australian Patent No. 2010229924 entitled, DEVICES AND METHODS OF CELL CAPTURE AND ANALYSIS. The issued patent covers the use of antibodies in microchannels for the capture of cancer cells or other cells that can be used for molecular analysis in blood and other biological fluids. Biocept has eighteen wholly-owned patents related to its core liquid biopsy technology.

Biocept's proprietary microchannel technology enables the capture of cells that are in low abundance, such as circulating tumor cells (CTCs) shed into the blood by solid tumors, or fetal cells that are present in the maternal bloodstream.

"Our liquid biopsy platform has the distinct advantage of using both CTCs and circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) to detect and monitor biomarkers associated with cancer," said Lyle Arnold, Ph.D., Chief Scientific Officer at Biocept.  "Antibodies are key to our microchannel technology that provides for the high-efficacy capture, visualization and microscopic analysis of target cells.  We have already been granted U.S. and multiple international patents for this technology, and we are pleased to extend this protection to Australia." 

Michael Nall, Biocept's President and CEO, added, "The granting of patents in international markets supports our activities to expand distribution of our liquid biopsy platform worldwide. Our liquid biopsy tests can provide an alternative to invasive tissue biopsies by using a simple blood sample to obtain valuable biomarker information.  This information can be used by physicians to pursue personalized treatments for their patients with cancer, leading to improved outcomes."

About Biocept

Biocept, Inc. is a molecular diagnostics company with commercialized assays for lung, breast, gastric, colorectal and prostate cancers, and melanoma. The Company uses its proprietary liquid biopsy technology to provide physicians with clinically actionable information for treating and monitoring patients diagnosed with cancer. The Company's patented Target Selector™ liquid biopsy technology platform captures and analyzes tumor-associated molecular markers in both circulating tumor cells (CTCs) and in circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA). With thousands of tests performed, the platform has demonstrated the ability to identify cancer mutations and alterations to inform physicians about a patient's disease and therapeutic options. For additional information, please visit www.biocept.com.

Forward-Looking Statements Disclaimer Statement

This release contains forward-looking statements that are based upon current expectations or beliefs, as well as a number of assumptions about future events. Although we believe that the expectations reflected in the forward-looking statements and the assumptions upon which they are based are reasonable, we can give no assurance that such expectations and assumptions will prove to have been correct. Forward-looking statements are generally identifiable by the use of words like "may," "will," "should," "could," "expect," "anticipate," "estimate," "believe," "intend," or "project" or the negative of these words or other variations on these words or comparable terminology. To the extent that statements in this release are not strictly historical, including without limitation statements as to our ability to improve the management, diagnosis and treatment of cancer, the ability of our tests to provide clinically actionable information to oncologist and their patients, and our ability to expand the distribution of our liquid biopsy platform worldwide, such statements are forward-looking, and are made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. The reader is cautioned not to put undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, as these statements are subject to numerous risk factors as set forth in our Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) filings. The effects of such risks and uncertainties could cause actual results to differ materially from the forward-looking statements contained in this release. We do not plan to update any such forward-looking statements and expressly disclaim any duty to update the information contained in this press release except as required by law. Readers are advised to review our filings with the SEC, which can be accessed over the Internet at the SEC's website located at www.sec.gov.

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SOURCE Biocept, Inc.