Actionable in vitro Diagnostics based on a Pan-Cancer Glycosaminoglycan
Delivering the next generation of cancer diagnostics
At VarCT Diagnostics, we are at the forefront of novel cancer diagnostics, developing innovative solutions to detect cancer-specific carbohydrate modifications with unparalleled precision and accuracy. Our mission is to develop highly sensitive, specific, and actionable in vitro diagnostics for cancers with an unmet need for screening and therapy-stratification. Meet our Team and read our Company History.
Our in vitro diagnostic assays rely on the detection of a unique cancer biomarker called oncofetal Chondroitin Sulfate (CS). Oncofetal CS is a long carbohydrate chain with a heavy sulfation pattern that is highly overexpressed in over 95% of cancers and with little to no expression in healthy tissue (except for placenta).
To detect oncofetal CS we rely on rVAR2 and Vartumabs, two tools with high affinity and specificity for our target. rVAR2 is a recombinant protein mimicking the malaria VAR2CSA region that binds oncofetal CS. Vartumabs are a portfolio of first-in-class antibodies towards oncofetal CS.
Selection of tissue stainings from patient needle biopsies stained for ofCS and nucleus
Detection of Circulating Tumor Cells (yellow) in blood samples from patients with different cancers where rVAR2CSA clear separates CTCs from normal blood cells (cell nucleus, CD45/CD66b/CD16 stained)
Oncofetal CS appears early on in cancer and is maintained throughout cancer progression on a broad panel of biomarkers, including circulating tumor cells, blood circulating proteoglycans and extracellular vesicles. We are exploiting this ubiquitous presence to develop in vitro diagnostic assays for early cancer detection and monitoring of residual disease.
Learn more about our in vitro diagnostic assays.