ANGLE plc, a leading innovator in liquid biopsy and circulating tumour cell (CTC) solutions, has announced a significant supplier agreement with global biopharmaceutical leader AstraZeneca PLC. The collaboration focuses on developing a novel methodology for the detection of micronuclei in CTCs, utilizing ANGLE’s DNA damage response (DDR) assay, a key marker in cancer diagnostics and treatment efficacy.

The development will be based on ANGLE’s existing pKAP1 CTC-based DDR assay, which measures the expression of crucial proteins involved in the DNA damage response. This assay has shown potential as a repeatable and minimally invasive method to understand and target tumour-specific DDR dependencies, enhancing the effectiveness of cancer treatments. The initial six-month development phase, taking place in ANGLE’s laboratories in Guildford, UK, is valued at £150,000.

Andrew Newland, CEO of ANGLE, highlighted the agreement as a testament to the company’s expanding influence in the pharmaceutical services sector. “This is ANGLE’s second large pharma company agreement of 2024, demonstrating the critical role of CTC analysis and further validating our Parsortix system,” said Newland.

Karen Miller, Chief Scientific Officer at ANGLE, also emphasized the growing importance of their work in the context of increasing research into DNA damage response and PARP inhibitors. “With the need for robust, minimally invasive DDR assays, our development work continues to expand the assortment of assays we can offer to other customers,” Miller stated.

Expanding Market and Future Prospects

The DDR therapeutics market, valued at US$5.9 billion in 2022, is expected to reach US$10.4 billion by 2031, growing at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 6.5%. This growth is driven by the increased use of combination therapy for drug-resistant cancers and the ongoing demand for novel targeted cancer treatments. DDR inhibitors, often used alongside other cancer drugs, help maximize DNA damage in cancer cells, offering a targeted approach to treatment that could significantly improve patient outcomes across multiple tumour types.

  ANGLE plc, AstraZeneca, biotechnology innovation, Cancer treatment, CTC detection, DDR assay, DNA damage response, Liquid Biopsy