Biocept Gains Patent Protection in Hong Kong and Japan

SAN DIEGO, Nov. 30, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- Biocept, Inc. (NASDAQ: BIOC), a molecular diagnostics company commercializing and developing blood-based liquid biopsies to improve the detection and treatment of cancer, announces the allowance of the patent DETECTION OR ISOLATION OF TARGET MOLECULES USING A MICROCHANNEL APPARATUS in Hong Kong and Japan. The patent issued as HK1135725 in Hong Kong and JP5824387 in Japan, and covers Biocept's microchannels for the capture of molecular targets, including circulating tumor cells (CTCs) and other rare cells, from blood and other biological fluids.

"These microchannels are essential to our Cell Enrichment and Extraction (CEE™) platform, which provides for the high-efficiency capture, visualization and microscopic analysis of targeted cells obtained from a patient's blood sample," said Lyle Arnold, Ph.D., Senior Vice President and Chief Scientific Officer at Biocept.  "By capturing these rare cells, we obtain valuable biomarker information that can be used by physicians to personalize the treatment of patients with cancer." 

"We now hold patents related to our microchannels in the U.S., Europe, China and South Korea, as well as in Hong Kong and Japan," said Biocept's President and Chief Executive Officer Michael Nall.  "We are capitalizing on our scientific, legal and regulatory teams' many years of experience in obtaining patent coverage to extend our patent portfolio around the world, which we see as a key step in solidifying our leadership position in the growing movement toward liquid biopsy."

About Biocept

Biocept, Inc. is a commercial-stage molecular diagnostics company that utilizes a proprietary technology platform and a standard blood sample to provide physicians with important prognostic and predictive information to enhance individual treatment of patients with cancer. Biocept's patented technology platform captures and analyzes circulating tumor DNA, both in CTCs and in plasma (ctDNA). Biocept currently offers assays for gastric cancer, breast cancer, lung cancer, colorectal cancer and melanoma, and plans to introduce CLIA-validated assays for prostate cancer and other solid tumors in the near term. 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 physicians' use of our technology to personalize the treatment of patients with cancer, market acceptance of liquid biopsy, and our ability to expand  into new cancer indications and grow our portfolio of biomarker assays, 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.

Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20151013/276540LOGO

To view the original version on PR Newswire, visit:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/biocept-gains-patent-protection-in-hong-kong-and-japan-300184771.html

SOURCE Biocept, Inc.