News Release

Leiden University Medical Centre and Biotech Support Group Enter Joint Research Agreement for Stromal Conditioning Biomarkers in Cancer

Objectives are to characterize and quantify Stroma Liquid Biopsy™ biomarkers so as to correlate to the Tumor-Stroma Ratio scoring methods developed by Leiden University

MONMOUTH JUNCTION, NJ, May 20, 2019 -- Biotech Support Group (BSG) and Leiden University Medical Centre (LUMC), Leiden, The Netherlands, announce that they have entered a mutual research collaboration. Their joint goal is to correlate BSG’s patent pending Stroma Liquid Biopsy™ panel of blood-borne biomarkers, to tissue derived Tumor-stroma scoring methods developed by LUMC.

Aim and key objectives of the Research Collaboration

Tumors are more than just a mass of proliferating cells and therefore cancer progression is influenced by the multiple normal non-cancerous cell types and networks of proteins dynamically interacting in active tumorigenesis. These are not simply passive bystanders and consequently reflect the tumor-associated microenvironments called the stroma. Percolating through the tumor mass and introduced into the general circulation, stromal conditioning of tumors can thus be monitored by blood tests. Accounting for and characterizing the stromal influence on disease progression and response to therapies will become of paramount importance in the management of cancer patients in the future.

Based on stained surgically removed primary tissue sections, LUMC has developed a tumor-stroma ratio (TSR) reported to be a strong, independent prognostic parameter linking tumors with high stromal content to poor prognosis. LUMC will make available histological sections from primary tissue material (removed during operation) from patients with colorectal, breast and pancreatic cancer. Moreover from these patients (longitudinally collected) serum is available, collected under standardized conditions, for analysis of biomarkers. Clinical data of these patients and follow up information is available.

The patent pending panel of BSG’s Stroma Liquid Biopsy™ proteomic biomarkers, in part reflects the tumor-associated microenvironments introduced into the bloodstream, and to which can be monitored by blood tests. In this project, we aim to characterize and quantify the Stroma Liquid Biopsy™ biomarkers from LUMC collected patient sera, so as to correlate to the LUMC developed Tumor-Stroma Ratio scoring methods. Once achieved, we will have gained invaluable information central to understanding how individuals uniquely adapt to the presence of cancer anywhere in the body, how individuals can be stratified towards the best therapeutic options, and how individuals uniquely respond to medical intervention.

“This is a very exciting collaboration for us as LUMC has been at the forefront in research on the microenvironment componentry of cancer. While much knowledge surrounds the genomic mutations of the cancerous cells, even with the introduction of immuno-therapies, we still know very little about the hospitality derived from an individual’s systemic response to uncontrolled cellular proliferation. It is critically important therefore to gain a much deeper understanding of this complex interplay determined by the patient’s individualized cellular and protein dynamics within tumors. In this collaboration we hope to leverage our joint technologies and capabilities to observe functional reporting features of chronic systemic imbalances of proteolytic regulation; such reporting will become central to understanding how individuals uniquely respond to the presence of cancer anywhere in the body. With a much better understanding of the systemic response to cancer, new avenues for diagnosis, personalized medicine, and therapeutic modalities will be possible, ultimately achieving improvement in survival.” states Swapan Roy, Ph.D., President and Founder of Biotech Support Group.

Dr. Wilma Mesker (Associate Professor) and Prof. Rob Tollenaar (Surgeon) of the Leiden University Medical Center concur, and state further that, “the tumor-stroma microenvironment is an important prognostic parameter for patients with epithelial cancer types. Patients with a high amount of stromal cells in the primary tumor have a bad prognosis and respond worse to current chemotherapy regimens. Blood derived information about various tumor environmental factors could reduce under and over-treatment of cancer patients with chemotherapy, and offers unique possibilities and insight for monitoring during treatment and personalized therapy”.

To Learn More About Stroma Liquid Biopsy™, download whitepaper at:

https://www.biotechsupportgroup.com/v/vspfiles/templates/257/pdf/StromaLiquidBiopsyWhitepaper022519.pdf

About Biotech Support Group LLC

Converging with cultural and technological disruptions forthcoming in healthcare, Biotech Support Group develops methods for cost effective and efficient sample prep essential for these expanding markets. Following a tiered business strategy, the company continues its growth in the consumable research products area supporting the rapidly expanding installation of LC-MS instrument and computational infrastructure. For this market, key products include: AlbuVoid™ and AlbuSorb™ for albumin depletion, Cleanascite™ for lipid adsorption, HemogloBind™ and HemoVoid™ for hemoglobin removal, and NuGel™ for functional proteomics. From these innovations, the company has acquired knowledgebase and biomarker intellectual property assets that support discoveries of protein markers from blood, with special emphasis on early detection and personalized medical decisions for cancer patients. For more information, go to https://www.biotechsupportgroup.com/

For license, collaboration and partnership opportunities at BSG,

Contact: Matthew Kuruc 732-274-2866, mkuruc@biotechsupportgroup.com

About Leiden University Medical Centre (LUMC)

As the world changes and its population ages, the number of patients with chronic diseases and disorders is expanding, while medical costs increase. Therefore, the health of the global population is one of the biggest challenges of our time. Leiden University Medical Center believes that this challenge asks for a clear vision and mission. At the LUMC, students are trained in lifelong innovation and learning. Researchers let themselves be inspired and test their findings directly in practice. Patients can count on being helped according to the state-of-the-art in science. The LUMC believes in curing but also in prevention. By collaborating with companies and organizations inside and outside the region, the LUMC makes innovations and new applications actually possible. Thus the LUMC serves as an innovator for improving healthcare science and consequently people ’s health. For more information, go to https://www.lumc.nl

For business development,

Contact: Jofey Chadwick, Ph.D., +31-(0)71-5272689, j.chadwick@luris.nl