The company’s six‑base sequencing solution integrates additional methylation signals, delivering an AUC of 0.95 for stage I colorectal cancer from liquid biopsy.
A study published in Nature Communications Medicine shows that simultaneously measuring two distinct epigenetic markers in cell-free DNA significantly improves early detection of colorectal cancer compared to conventional liquid biopsy methods.
The research, conducted by biomodal, demonstrates that the company’s duet evoC technology can distinguish between 5-methylcytosine (5mC) and 5-hydroxymethylcytosine (5hmC) biomarkers in cell-free DNA samples. This approach achieved 95% diagnostic accuracy (AUC = 0.95) for stage I colorectal cancer samples, compared to 66% accuracy (AUC = 0.66) using conventional methods that combine these markers into a single “modified cytosine” readout.
The study analyzed cell-free DNA samples from treatment-naive colorectal cancer patients versus healthy controls. Researchers found that nearly half of the genomic regions examined showed activation patterns during cancer progression, with increased 5hmC levels in early-stage cancers and decreased 5mC levels in late-stage cancers.
“We know that earlier cancer detection is critical to improving patient survival, yet most of today’s methods fall short,” says Robert Osborne, biomodal’s senior vice president of research and development and lead author of the paper, in a release. “With our 6-base approach, we have demonstrated that by separately measuring and integrating both methylcytosine with hydroxymethylcytosine changes, we can capture biological signals that were previously hidden.”
Clinical Significance for Early Detection
Colorectal cancer ranks as the second-leading cause of cancer death worldwide, according to a release from the company. Stage I detection can increase survival rates to over 90%, but most patients receive diagnoses at later stages when treatment options become more limited.
The research reveals that 5hmC markers can identify sensitive biomarkers for disease development and progression that remain invisible to current detection methods. Other liquid biopsy approaches either miss these epigenetic biomarkers entirely or combine them into less informative readouts.
“Changes in DNA methylation patterns are among the earliest alterations observed in cancer cells, making them useful as biomarkers across oncology applications, from detection to monitoring treatment response,” says Prof Sarah-Jane Dawson, clinician scientist at Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre and Centre for Cancer Research University of Melbourne, in a release.
Technology Applications
The duet multiomic technology enables simultaneous analysis of genetic and epigenetic information from single, low-input DNA samples without requiring complex bioinformatics or harsh chemical treatment. The single-base-resolution approach provides what the company describes as access to the “six-base genome” by resolving both standard DNA bases and their epigenetic modifications.
Beyond colorectal cancer detection, biomodal indicates the technology has potential applications in neurodegenerative disease research and aging studies, where epigenetic changes play significant roles in disease progression.
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