Biocept Granted Japanese Patent Covering Microchannel and Antibody Capture

SAN DIEGO, July 5, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Biocept, Inc.(NASDAQ: BIOC), a molecular diagnostics company commercializing and developing liquid biopsies to improve the detection and treatment of cancer, announces the granting of Japanese patent #5923035 for DEVICES AND METHODS OF CELL CAPTURE AND ANALYSIS.  The patent covers the use of antibodies in the capture of rare cells, such as circulating tumor cells (CTCs) from blood, as well as other biological fluids.  Biocept's antibody capture cocktail, along with the microchannel, are key components of Biocept's Cell Enrichment and Extraction (CEE™) platform, which provides for the high-efficiency capture, visualization and microscopic analysis of targeted cells used by physicians for medical-decision making.

"With the addition of this grant in Japan, we now have 13 total U.S. and international issued patents covering the use of antibodies in the capture of cancer cells in combination with our microchannel," said Lyle Arnold, Ph.D., Chief Scientific Officer at Biocept.  "Our antibody cocktail is key in our proprietary method to capture and analyze cells from a wide variety of tumor types and includes the use of blood as well as other biological sample types for obtaining valuable biomarker information that can be used by physicians to personalize treatment of individual patients."

"We anticipate a growing international movement toward the use of liquid biopsy as a viable means of reducing healthcare system costs and importantly, helping physicians in making treatment decisions for their patients with cancer," said Biocept's President and Chief Executive Officer Michael Nall.  "We are aggressively broadening our U.S. and international patent protection for our unique methods of capturing and analyzing cancer cells in blood and other biological fluids to capitalize on this momentum.  Strengthening our IP protection is an important strategic component as we expand our global reach while building value for our shareholders."

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, prostate cancer and melanoma, and plans to introduce additional CLIA-validated assays 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 our ability to improve the detection and treatment of cancer, the growing international movement toward the use of liquid biopsy as a means of reducing healthcare system costs and helping physicians in making treatment decisions, our ability to broaden our U.S. and international patent protection, our ability to expand our global reach while building value for shareholders, our impact on diagnostic strategies, and planned future offerings, 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.