U.K.-based Petscreen has developed a blood test that detects early stage lymphosarcoma in dogs using biomarkers. The company found the test may also benefit human patients and is developing a similar screening process for people. The test won’t be available for humans for at least three to five years.
Petscreen has already launched a test to diagnose lymphoma in dogs and theĀ Ā business, which has won almost Ā£100,000 of government-backed funding for itsĀ Ā research, is now developing a simple blood test to determine if a human hasĀ Ā early-stage lymphoma.
Their test uses biomarkers – a marker found in blood or urine that changesĀ Ā when a certain disease is present – to detect the cancer.
āWhat weāre looking for are proteins that can be easily detected in aĀ Ā non-invasive way, ie just from a simple blood sample which would thenĀ Ā indicate the presence of a tumour. You want to be able to pick up the tumourĀ Ā early, confidently and non-invasively,ā said Kevin Slater, Petscreenās chiefĀ Ā executive.
āThe holy grail is to try to make these tests specific,ā he added. PetscreenĀ Ā achieves this, said Dr Slater, by using an algorithm to measure a number ofĀ Ā different biomarkers.
Through their research to develop the canine test, he added that āalmost byĀ Ā serendipityā, Petscreen discovered that a similar test could be applied inĀ Ā humans.
Petscreenās initial trial will take a year and any human test could take threeĀ Ā to five years to get to market. If successful, it could simplify and speedĀ Ā up diagnosis, as well as monitor remission. Currently, lymphoma ā theĀ Ā sixth-commonest form of cancer in Britain ā is diagnosed through a biopsyĀ Ā and scan.
Petscreen was established in 2004 by Dr Slater, along with Graeme Radcliffe, aĀ Ā former journalist, after the pair met at a cricket match.
Dr Slater said the TSB funding will help Petscreen develop a ‘proof ofĀ Ā conceptā and the business will later need further investment or aĀ Ā partnership with a major pharmaceutical company.
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