Edinburgh-based BioCaptiva has been granted its first US patent for its liquid biopsy technology that efficiently captures cell-free DNA (cfDNA) directly from blood and other bodily fluids, opening up new possibilities for early disease detection, treatment monitoring, and personalised medicine.

This milestone, based on technology originating from the University of Edinburgh, marks a significant turning point for the company, validating its long-term research efforts and expanding its potential applications across the biomedical field.

The biotech firm said: “The patented msX technology forms the foundation of BioCaptiva’s current and future product pipeline, with the versatility to capture nucleic acids, particularly cfDNA, directly from biological fluids such as blood, plasma, and other bodily fluids, in much greater quantities than is possible through current testing methods and without the need for centrifugation and additional reagents.

“The library of polymer coatings, upon which the msX technology is based, are also able to handle samples of any volume and to store cfDNA on-polymer for 90 days at room temperature.”

BioCaptiva CEO Jeremy Wheeler said: “This US patent grant is a crucial achievement for BioCaptiva. It not only secures our intellectual property but also underscores the extensive potential of our technology, which we’ve been developing since spinning out of University of Edinburgh in 2020.

“What began as a focused research project and a single medical device has evolved into a comprehensive platform with far-reaching implications for liquid biopsy and the broader biomedical industry.”

The patent covers both in-vivo and ex-vivo applications, including BioCaptiva’s innovative medical device, BioCaptis, aimed at improving cancer management.

BioCaptiva said it is actively exploring diverse applications of its patented msX technology across various biofluids. The technology’s ability to capture nucleic acids from large volumes of biological fluids opens up new possibilities for disease detection, treatment monitoring, and personalised medicine.

Looking ahead, BioCaptiva plans to leverage this patented technology across multiple applications.

The company envisions msX technology playing a crucial role in advancing personalised medicine, enhancing molecular diagnostics for disease detection beyond cancer, and transforming biomedical research.

BioCaptiva said it is open to partnership opportunities with organisations interested in leveraging this innovative technology for new applications.

The company believes that collaborations willl lead to groundbreaking advancements in various areas of healthcare and research.