Shares in ANGLE PLC (AIM:AGL, OTCQX:ANPCY) rose 15% after the company unveiled research suggesting that analysing whole tumour cells in the blood could provide a more complete picture of cancer than DNA fragments alone.
The study, conducted using Illumina’s sequencing technology, examined blood samples from 27 lung cancer patients. It found that critical genetic mutations were sometimes detectable only in intact tumour cells and not in circulating tumour DNA.
Among untreated patients, all eight had mutations found exclusively in whole tumour cells. Of those receiving treatment, 90% had genetic changes detectable only in these cells.
The findings suggest that testing both sources could double the number of detectable mutations, potentially improving treatment decisions.
Illumina has dedicated a webinar to ANGLE’s research on February 6, and the companies plan to collaborate further to refine liquid biopsy techniques.
In early afternoon trading, the stock was up 2.1p at 15.35p.