New Target Selector NGS Lung Panel Helps Oncologists with Selection of Targeted Therapies

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Original Press Release:

Biocept Announces Clinical Validation and Commercial Launch of its Target Selectorâ„¢ Multi-Gene Liquid Biopsy Panel for Lung Cancer

Biocept now positioned as the only commercial liquid biopsy provider that offers single-biomarker testing, tumor-specific panels, and circulating tumor cell analysis

San Diego, May 20, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Biocept, Inc. (NASDAQ: BIOC), a leading commercial provider of liquid biopsy tests designed to provide physicians with clinically actionable information to improve the outcomes of patients diagnosed with cancer, announces the commercial launch of Target Selector™ NGS Lung Panel, the Company's multi-gene liquid biopsy panel specifically developed for lung cancer. This product runs on Thermo Fisher Scientific's Ion Torrent™ next generation sequencing (NGS) platform. The Target Selector™ NGS Lung Panel will be marketed to physicians and researchers, and can be used to detect and monitor actionable biomarkers associated with lung cancer. The panel combines Biocept's laboratory and commercial infrastructure, as well as the Company's expertise in blood sample preservation and DNA/RNA isolation with Thermo Fisher's industry leading next generation sequencing panel and informatics technology, branded as Oncomine™. This offering will also further enrich the content supporting Biocept's collaboration with artificial intelligence solutions provider Prognos Health, Inc.

Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer death for both men and women in the United States, with an estimated 155,870 deaths in 2017.1 The median overall survival for patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is approximately one year, with the five-year survival rate for metastatic lung cancer at 5%.2 However, 17–27% of NSCLC patients harbor molecular alterations that can be treated with specific FDA-approved targeted therapies. In order to realize the full potential of these targeted therapies, oncologists require timely and accurate molecular characterization of a patient's cancer for selection of the best possible therapy, with some treatment regimens extending median patient survival times from one to two and one-half years.3-7 Despite these advances, a large percentage of patients may not undergo molecular profiling due to a number of practical constraints. Chief among these is the availability of tissue for molecular testing. Lung cancers are often difficult to biopsy because of their location within what is often diseased lung tissue of elderly patients. Biocept believes that the clinical utility of liquid biopsy, which involves the use of a simple blood sample to obtain this molecular information, can provide an effective solution to help oncologists with the selection of targeted therapies.

"We are very pleased to launch our first multi-gene liquid biopsy panel to physicians and researchers in both academic centers and the pharmaceutical industry," said Michael Nall, Biocept's President and Chief Executive Officer. "This new solution makes Biocept the only commercial liquid biopsy company that can offer customers the flexibility to order either a customized single biomarker assay or a larger NGS-based liquid biopsy test panel for use when more comprehensive testing is desired. This new offering complements our existing Target Selector™ testing platform, which focuses on delivering actionable and cost-effective biomarker information to address needs of physicians, healthcare systems and payors as they develop personalized treatment protocols for patients diagnosed with cancer."

About Biocept's Target Selector™ NGS Lung Panel 

Biocept's multi-gene tumor-specific NGS-based liquid biopsy panels allow physicians and researchers to use a simple blood sample to analyze actionable biomarkers associated with specific solid tumor types. The biomarkers included in the Target Selector™ NGS Lung Panel are those that physicians frequently rely upon when making treatment decisions for their patients diagnosed with cancer and includes reporting powered by the Oncomine™ Knowledge Reporter. For more information about the Target Selector™ NGS Lung Panel, please contact Biocept Customer Services at 888-332-7729.

About Biocept

Biocept, Inc. is a molecular diagnostics company with commercialized assays for lung, breast, gastric, colorectal and prostate cancers, and melanoma. The Company uses its proprietary liquid biopsy technology to provide physicians with information for treating and monitoring patients diagnosed with cancer. The Company's patented Target Selector™ liquid biopsy technology platform captures and analyzes tumor-associated molecular markers in both CTCs and in plasma (ctDNA). With thousands of tests performed, the platform has demonstrated the ability to identify cancer mutations and alterations to inform physicians about a patient's disease and therapeutic options. For additional information, please visit www.biocept.com.

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LHA Investor Relations

Jody Cain

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310-691-7100

Source Biocept, Inc.

Web Site: http://www.biocept.com