EpiCapture Acquired by Trinity Biotech
Trinity Biotech plc (Nasdaq: TRIB), a commercial-stage biotechnology company focused on human diagnostics and diabetes management solutions, including wearable biosensors, has acquired EpiCapture Limited, a University College Dublin (UCD) spin-out company developing a non-invasive test for monitoring the risk of aggressive prostate cancer.
EpiCapture’s innovative urine-based test is designed to reduce the need for repeated invasive prostate biopsies for patients undergoing active surveillance for prostate cancer. The test offers a breakthrough approach to monitoring disease progression by using epigenetic analysis to detect DNA methylation patterns that are indicative of high-grade cancer.
A study published in The Journal of Clinical Oncology – Precision Oncology demonstrated that, when combined with the widely used prostate-specific antigen (PSA) test, EpiCapture’s test “correctly predicted all high-grade cancers.”
Prostate cancer is the most common non-skin cancer among men in the US, with about 1 in 8 men diagnosed during their lifetime and the cost for diagnosis and treatment estimated at over approximately $10 billion annually. The ability to accurately monitor prostate cancer progression is critical, as the disease can often be slow-growing, and unnecessary invasive interventions, such as prostate biopsies, can lead to significant complications. The EpiCapture test could significantly reduce the frequency of these interventions, thereby improving the quality of life for patients.
EpiCapture was co-founded in 2021 by Associate Professor Antoinette Perry and Edward Simons, as a spin-out from the UCD School of Biology and Environmental Science with the support of NovaUCD.
UCD’s Associate Professor Antoinette Perry, inventor of the EpiCapture test commented, “I’m thrilled that our EpiCapture monitoring technology for aggressive prostate cancer has found a strong partner for the next stage of its development. Trinity Biotech’s rich history of bringing innovative diagnostic solutions to global markets gives me confidence that the test will soon be improving the lives of patients, offering a less invasive option for monitoring their disease and I look forward to supporting the Trinity Biotech team in this mission.”
Earlier work was supported by grant funding from the Irish Cancer Society, Irish Research Council, Science Foundation Ireland, Health Research Board, along with Movember and the US Prostate Cancer Foundation.
“We are delighted to make this strategic move into the oncology and molecular diagnostic spaces with the acquisition of EpiCapture,” stated John Gillard, President and Chief Executive Officer of Trinity Biotech.
“This move supports our strategy of combining Trinity’s established capabilities with cutting edge technologies to address large scale, urgent and important clinical issues. In this case, our manufacturing expertise and New York State Department of Health-certified Immco reference laboratory will enable us to advance the development and commercialization of EpiCapture’s epigenetic analysis technology, an innovative solution with the potential to significantly impact the clinical management of prostate cancer, providing a less invasive and more accurate method of monitoring disease progression.”
EpiCapture has received support from Enterprise Ireland as a High Potential Start-Up (HPSU) and from EIT Health.
ENDS
25 October 2024
For further information contact Micéal Whelan, Communications and Media Relations Manager, UCD Research and Innovation, NovaUCD e: miceal.whelan@ucd.ie.
Editors Notes
Trinity Biotech is a commercial stage biotechnology company focused on human diagnostics and diabetes management solutions, including wearable biosensors. The Company develops, acquires, manufactures and markets diagnostic systems, including both reagents and instrumentation, for the point-of-care and clinical laboratory segments of the diagnostic market and has recently entered the wearable biosensor industry, with the acquisition of the biosensor assets of Waveform Technologies Inc. and intends to develop a range of biosensor devices and related services, starting with a continuous glucose monitoring product. Our products are used to detect infectious diseases and to quantify the level of Haemoglobin A1c and other chemistry parameters in serum, plasma and whole blood. Trinity Biotech sells direct in the United States and through a network of international distributors and strategic partners in over 75 countries worldwide. www.trinitybiotech.com.