VolitionRx (NYSE:VNRX) has been granted a US patent for its method of detecting fragments of chromosomes, known as nucleosomes, circulating in the blood.
The Belgian life sciences company focused on developing blood tests for a broad range of cancer types and other conditions, said it had been granted patent number 9222937 for the “Method for Detecting Nucleosomes”. The patent runs to August 2032.
Nucleosomes consist of a strand of DNA wrapped around eight protein molecules, called histones. They are released into the blood following the breakdown of dead cells, including cancer cells. This latest patent for the detection of nucleosomes will support the first two patents granted to VolitionRx in the USA, both of which cover the company's core technologies: the detection of epigenetic modifications to the histones in nucleosomes that are caused by cancer; and the detection of complexes of nucleosomes that have become bound to cancer-related proteins.
"VolitionRx's patent portfolio is growing and includes both core patents that cover key cancer-detection technologies as well as supportive patents for techniques used in the wider process. Two of VolitionRx's core technology patents are already issued in the US and this third patent is the company's first supportive patent,” said Dr Jake Micallef, VolitionRx's chief scientific officer.
“The grant of this third US patent reinforces VolitionRx's exclusive market position with its unique Nucleosomics technology," Dr Micallef added.
Cameron Reynolds, chief executive officer of VolitionRx, said he expected 2016 would be a “milestone year” for VolitionRx, as it plans on bringing its first panel of NuQ cancer tests to market for clinical use in Europe.
"With the grant of a third patent in the US, VolitionRx continues to make progress on our path of commercializing our proprietary Nucleosomics platform for accurate and affordable detection of early-stage cancer in simple blood tests and helping as many patients as possible,” Reynolds said.
“Last year was an important year for the company, with the release of compelling results of over 90% accuracy in detecting colorectal, pancreatic and lung cancer,” he added.