Bengaluru: Strand Life Sciences on Tuesday announced the launch of Liquid Biopsy test portfolio ‘Strand LB’ that provides highly sensitive detection of tumor traces from a simple blood draw.
Strand LB can provide early and precise indication of tumor presence, cancer recurrence, and response to therapy compared to any other method used in the medical industry.
Typically, tumors are assessed through invasive tumor biopsies or through radioactive scans. This latest technique allows earlier assessment with minimal discomfort to patients.
“Our study on patients spanning a wide variety of cancer types – including lung, colorectal, breast, and bladder cancer – shows that STRAND LB can detect tumor DNA traces in as many as 35% of patients with early-stage cancer, going up to 70-90% in patients with locally advanced or metastatic cancer,” said Dr. Vijay Chandru, Chairman and Managing Director, Strand Life Sciences.
The Strand LB tests are an outcome of the collaboration between Scientific teams of Strand and Mazumdar Shaw Center for Translational Research (MSCTR), who worked together to develop these advanced tests which were validated by clinicians at the Mazumdar Shaw Medical Center (MSMC).
“I congratulate the scientific teams at Strand and MSCTR as well as doctors at MSMC for this achievement and am sure this cutting-edge technology will play a central role in affordable cancer care”, said Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw, Chairperson and Managing Director, Biocon.
Highlighting the clinical benefits of a liquid biopsy, Dr Sharat Damodar, Heme-Oncologist & Clinical Director, Mazumdar Shaw Medical Centre said, “Solid tumors developing on an internal organ can sometimes be hard to access and often require a small surgery to enable sampling. It is even more challenging when the tumor is located deep within the body. On the contrary, a liquid biopsy test requires only a simple blood draw, providing a new way forward in such situations.”
Strand LB can be used to monitor the very same patients for the emergence of resistance to these treatments and to monitor response to treatment and detect relapse early in instances where switching treatments is a possibility.
“By coupling Strand LB with our internationally established and well-published tumor biopsy test, we can provide a complete and economical tumor monitoring solution for most patients”, said Dr Ramesh Hariharan, CEO Strand Life Sciences.
