Single Molecule Test for Prostate Cancer Is Highly Sensitive

A single molecule test demonstrates unprecedented sensitivity for measuring a biomarker for prostate cancer recurrence.

The test is more than 1,000 times more sensitive than standard methods and has the potential for broad application in measurement of biomarkers in cancer, autoimmune, and neurological diseases.

The simple blood test uses Quanterix's (Cambridge, MA., USA) single molecule array (SiMoA) technology to selectively capture and measure individual prostate specific antigen (PSA) molecules in prostate cancer patients. A study showed that SiMoA was 1,700 times more sensitive than standard hospital tests, potentially allowing for detection of prostate cancer recurrence years earlier than current tests.

To demonstrate the clinical potential of SiMoA PSA was measured in serum from men who had undergone radical prostatectomy for prostate cancer. For the majority of these patients PSA is initially reported as undetectable following surgery, but may be present at very low levels that predict the likelihood of disease recurrence. The Quanterix test was so sensitive that it was able to measure residual PSA levels in all samples tested. The PSA levels had been reported to be undetectable in these samples by standard tests, highlighting the sensitivity and precision of the SiMoA technology.

Quanterix Corporation is a development stage diagnostics company utilizing SiMoA technology for the quantification of clinically important proteins. SiMoA is the most sensitive immunoassay technology available and it will bring insight into disease detection, diagnosis, and surveillance using simple blood-based tests. The company is initially focused on biomarkers for prostate cancer recurrence monitoring and central nervous system disorders, such as Alzheimer's disease (AD).

The study appears in the June 2010 issue of Nature Biotechnology.

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