Introduction

More than 90% of cancer-related mortality is associated to metastases and hence to circulating tumor cells (CTC). Remove CTC from a patient’s blood, so called liquid biopsy, can significantly improve the management of the disease and could be used to support clinical decisions.

The device and method for eliminating unwanted biological and / or chemical entities from biological fluids, called CLEAR (CTC Liquid surgEry AppaRatus), in the course of an extracorporeal circulation procedure, is able to capture a large number of CTC, allowing the characterization and therefore their use as diagnostic, prognostic and predictive markers, thus opening the way to personalized and precision medicine. CLEAR (CTC Liquid surgEry AppaRatus) intends to fully exploit CTCs at the clinical level as a direct therapeutic target, performing the “surgery” of the liquid phase of a solid tumor.

CLEAR is based on an unprecedented multifactorial method with an approach based on:

– Antigen-antibody recognition

– Thrust

– Dimensions

Technical features

The CLEAR consists of a hollow capture chamber that contains one or more in-line helical elements and filters, both functionalized with specific capture agents for high affinity CTCs. Through innovative bio-physical approaches, the CLEAR internal elements help CTCs to get as close as possible to capture agents to capture both the single cell and the clusters. Compared to other competitors, it will allow the examination of up to 72 liters of blood during a feasible, manageable and safe 4-hour treatment, exploiting an extracorporeal circulation identical to the already established procedure used for renal failure. The aim is thus to start a new era in the research and clinical management of cancer by aspiring to overcome the limits of the tissue biopsy and the liquid one in particular when the primary tumor has been removed or the metastases are not operable and in cases where the method of liquid biopsy does not find material sufficiently representative of the nature of the tumor.

Possible Applications

• The possible applications concern the entire cancer sector.

Advantages

 

• Device able to block cells (CTCs) during their movement into the bloodstream;
• Possibility of capturing a high number of CTCs, allowing their characterization and use as diagnostic, prognostic and predictive markers;
• Personalized and precise medicine;
• Better management of the disease;
• Support for clinical decisions.