Angle unveils new cancer diagnostic at San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium

The staining kit is a ready-to-use kit for the identification, characterisation and enumeration of epithelial and mesenchymal cancer cells including those undergoing epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT).

EMT is a key transition step in cancer cells, and is associated with tumour progression, the development of drug resistance, and metastasis.

According to the company, this launch follows extensive development and validation of the kit to provide advanced immunofluorescent (IF) staining of CTCs harvested from a patient blood sample by the Parsortix technology.

The performance of current CTC protocols being used by academic and research institutions varies considerably, Angle argues.

As a result, Angle has developed its test for 'reliable and repeatable' results with a standardised protocol to make it easy for customers to adopt. 

The test uses a direct staining technique and an optimised, vivid dye combination to ensure high signal intensity. It also includes pre-mixed and freeze-dried antibodies for ease-of-use and long-term storage

In addition, the staining technology has a CellKeep slide, a CTC harvesting technology developed by the company to maximise the retention of CTCs harvested from blood samples for imaging. The slide confines the harvested CTCs to a small area, reducing the volume of antibodies required for staining.

The kit can ALSO be used to enumerate CTCs harvested using the epitope independent Parsortix technology in multiple cancer types including breast, lung, prostate and ovarian cancers. ​​

Angle CEO and founder Andrew Newland commented: "ANGLE’s Portrait+ CTC staining kit provides investigators with accurate, repeatable, and precise identification of CTCs and hence has the potential to optimise study protocols and minimise cost.

"We are now beginning an active promotion of this test to academic and translational research customers. The standardisation and simplification of the cell staining process and the new innovations to retain the harvested cells on the microscope slide will expand the market for Parsortix technology as it will make it easier for customers to adopt the solution in their own laboratories.”