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ArcherDX and UCL Extend TRACERx Program Collaboration to Evaluate Cancer Evolution

ArcherDX and UCL Extend TRACERx Program Collaboration to Evaluate Cancer Evolution

— TRACERx program to utilize personalized, liquid biopsy-based research assays —

BOULDER, Colo. and LONDON, August 3, 2020 /PRNewswire/ – ArcherDX, Inc., UCL and the Francis Crick Institute today announced an extension to utilize personalized, liquid biopsy-based research assays for the duration of the TRACERx program, a major lung cancer research initiative funded by Cancer Research UK. Previously reported findings from the TRACERx cohort have transformed understanding non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) evolution, and the research team is taking practical steps to make precision medicine for lung cancer patients a reality.

Under the collaboration, ArcherDX and UCL will continue to measure circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) taken from non-invasive peripheral blood draws at specified intervals.

“We are pleased to continue the collaboration with ArcherDX to examine how minimal residual disease detection relates to cancer relapse, and immune cell responses to immunotherapies,” said Professor Charles Swanton, M.D., Ph.D., UCL and the Francis Crick Institute, and is Cancer Research UK’s chief clinician and lead researcher of the TRACERx project. “With more sensitive detection of ctDNA, we gain a longitudinal view of cancer evolution leading to a greater understanding of the complex tumor ecosystem. These insights will help us design novel clinical trials that are personalized to more effectively bring new cancer treatments to patients.”

“The TRACERx program is a pioneering effort by Professor Swanton and his team at UCL and the Francis Crick Institute. We are incredibly proud to continue this collaboration with Professor Swanton and advance the understanding of cancer biology. With our combined expertise and ArcherDX’s proprietary Anchored Multiplex PCR (AMP™) chemistry at the core, we will continue to develop better liquid biopsy-based, personalized clinical research assays that have higher specificity and sensitivity with the goal of achieving better outcomes for patients,” said Jason Myers, Ph.D., Chief Executive Officer and co-founder, ArcherDX.

The collaborative group plans to publish peer-reviewed results from the collaboration.

ArcherDX’s Personalized Cancer Monitoring (PCM™) development program is being advanced by ArcherDX and is supported by a collaboration led by Professor Charles Swanton of UCL and the Francis Crick Institute to detect evidence of disease progression in lung cancer patients from cell-free ctDNA as part of the Cancer Research UK-funded UCL-sponsored TRACERx study.[1] PCM applies ArcherDX’s proprietary Anchored Multiplex PCR (AMP™) chemistry to accurately detect exceedingly low levels of cancer-derived DNA from patient blood.

About Personalized Cancer Monitoring

ArcherDX’s Personalized Cancer Monitoring (PCM™) approach aims to provide a unique clinical research platform for biopharma companies and academic researchers. The platform is built on LiquidPlex™ ctDNA technology and powered by Archer’s proprietary Anchored Multiplex PCR (AMP™) chemistry to enable error-corrected next-generation sequencing (NGS).

With PCM, a surgically removed tumor or a tumor biopsy undergoes Whole Exome Sequencing (WES) and is used to identify patient-specific cancer mutations. A tumor-specific ctDNA panel is created and paired with Archer’s NGS library preparation reagents and provided to labs. The personalized research clinical trial assay is used to measure ctDNA taken from minimally invasive peripheral blood draws at specified intervals, detecting evidence of cancer to quantitatively measure cancer recurrence and progression.

About ArcherDX

ArcherDX is a leading genomic analysis company democratizing precision oncology through a suite of products and services that are highly accurate, personal, actionable and easy to use in local settings. Our Archer® platform, with our proprietary Anchored Multiplex PCR (AMP™) chemistry at the core, has enabled us to develop industry-leading products and services to optimize therapy and enable cancer monitoring across sample types. We develop and commercialize research use only (RUO) products, are developing in vitro diagnostic (IVD) products, and offer services that meet the unique needs of our customers and their clinical applications. Our research product portfolio consists of VariantPlex®, FusionPlex®, LiquidPlex™ and Immunoverse™. IVD products currently in development for solid tumor biomarker identification and Personalized Cancer Monitoring (PCM™) have both received Breakthrough Device Designation from the FDA. ArcherDX is headquartered in Boulder, Colorado. Learn more at www.archerdx.com and follow @ArcherDXInc on Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn.

[1] TRACERx (Tracking Cancer Evolution through therapy (Rx)) lung study is the single biggest investment in lung cancer research by Cancer Research UK. We believe the translational research program is the first study to look at the evolution of cancer in real time and immense detail. Researchers follow patients with lung cancer all the way from diagnosis through to either disease relapse or cure after surgery, tracking and analyzing how their cancer develops. TRACERx is led by UCL (University College London) via the Cancer Research UK Lung Cancer Centre of Excellence and also supported by the National Institute for Health Research, University College London Hospitals Biomedical Research Centre, Francis Crick Institute and the Rosetrees Trust.

About Cancer Research UK

  • Cancer Research UK is the world’s leading cancer charity dedicated to saving lives through research.
  • Cancer Research UK’s pioneering work into the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of cancer has helped save millions of lives.
  • Cancer Research UK has been at the heart of the progress that has already seen survival in the UK double in the last 40 years.
  • Today, 2 in 4 people survive their cancer for at least 10 years. Cancer Research UK’s ambition is to accelerate progress so that by 2034, 3 in 4 people will survive their cancer for at least 10 years.
  • Cancer Research UK supports research into all aspects of cancer through the work of over 4,000 scientists, doctors and nurses.
  • Together with its partners and supporters, Cancer Research UK’s vision is to bring forward the day when all cancers are cured.

For further information about Cancer Research UK’s work or to find out how to support the charity, please call 0300 123 1022 or visit www.cancerresearchuk.org. Follow us on Twitter and Facebook.

Forward-Looking Statement

This press release may contain forward-looking statements that involve substantial risks and uncertainties for purposes of the safe harbor provided by the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. All statements contained in this press release other than statements of historical fact, are forward-looking statements. The words “aim,” “believe,” “may,” “will,” “estimate,” “continue,” “anticipate,” “intend,” “plan,” “expect,” “predict,” “potential,” “opportunity,” “goals,” or “should,” and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements. Such statements are based on management’s current expectations and involve risks and uncertainties. Actual results and performance could differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements as a result of many factors. ArcherDX has based these forward-looking statements largely on its current expectations and projections about future events and trends. These forward-looking statements are subject to a number of risks, uncertainties and assumptions. Moreover, ArcherDX operates in a competitive and rapidly changing environment. New risks emerge from time to time. It is not possible for its management to predict all risks, nor can it assess the impact of all factors on its business or the extent to which any factor, or combination of factors, may cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in any forward-looking statements it may make. ArcherDX undertakes no obligation to revise or publicly release the results of any revision to such forward-looking statements, except as required by law. Given these risks and uncertainties, readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on such forward-looking statements. All forward-looking statements are qualified in their entirety by this cautionary statement.

ArcherDX Contact

Andrea N. Flynn, Ph.D.
Investor Relations & Corporate Communications
ir@archerdx.com

Cancer Research UK Contact

For media enquiries, please contact the Cancer Research UK press office on 020 3469 8300 or, out of hours, 07050 264 059, or via pressoffice@cancer.org.uk.