Tethis S.p.A. Collaborates with Weill Cornell Medicine to Advance Cellular Residual Disease Monitoring in Early-Stage Breast Cancer

MILAN, Sept. 3, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Tethis S.p.A., a pioneer in the development of a standardized liquid biopsy platform, announces a collaboration with Weill Cornell Medicine to test Tethis' instruments for monitoring the response to curative treatment in patients with early-stage breast cancer. The scientists will collect blood from the patients and will measure the number and kind of tumor cells (cellular residual disease) and DNA (molecular residual disease) released from the tumor in the blood.

The research, which will take place in the laboratory of Dr. Massimo Cristofanilli, a Professor of Medicine at Weill Cornell Medicine, and at Tethis, will focus on patients with early-stage breast cancer who are given drugs to reduce tumor size, prior to surgery to remove the tumors. Blood samples will be collected at key points: diagnosis, post-treatment initiation, and multiple times after surgery. As part of the collaboration, Tethis has placed one of its automated See.d instruments in the Cristofanilli lab, and the lab will use the instrument to isolate plasma and prepare cytology slides containing cells, including circulating tumor cells, from the blood.

The Cristofanilli lab will analyze the isolated plasma samples for cell-free DNA (cfDNA), while Tethis scientists will examine the isolated cells for circulating tumor cells (CTCs). The scientists will combine their results and examine them in the light of how the people being treated actually fared, and will publish the results together. The results could guide individualized treatment for people with early-stage breast cancer in the future. 

"This collaboration with Weill Cornell Medicine contributes to our ongoing development initiatives in breast cancer research.," states Dr. Holger Neecke, CEO of Tethis. "Our See.d instrument prepares high-quality samples, ensuring precise measurement of both cellular and cell-free tumor markers in blood. The unbiased assessment of cancer and immune cells and cell clusters on our nano-coated Smart BioSurface® (SBS) slides provides valuable insights into tumor evolution. Building on our previous promising results in detecting CTCs in EBC, this study aims to further explore these biomarkers' potential in monitoring disease progression and guiding treatment decisions."

"This approach integrates the analysis of CTCs and cfDNA, enabling a multi-omic liquid biopsy from a single, minimally invasive blood draw. The possibility to integrate molecular and cellular residual disease in a single test might impact the sensitivity for the detection of residual disease after surgery," says Dr. Carolina Reduzzi, an Assistant Professor of Cancer Biology Research in Medicine and Director of the Liquid Biopsy Platform of the Englander Institute for Precision Medicine (EIPM) at Weill Cornell Medicine.

"The development and clinical validation of a potentially more sensitive and informative method for detecting minimal residual disease in patients with EBC may help facilitate a switch to a truly personalized clinical management of these patients, which may improve outcomes and reduce the risk of recurrence," says Dr. Cristofanilli, Director of Breast Medical Oncology and Scientific Director of EIPM at Weill Cornell Medicine.

The See.d instrument and SmartBioSurface^® slides are for Research Use Only and are not intended for use in diagnostic procedures.

About See.d

See.d is the first universal blood sample preparator for liquid biopsy analysis, automating and standardizing preparation at the point of collection. It stabilizes the cellular fraction on nanocoated SmartBioSurface® slides for detecting rare cells like CTCs, while plasma is made available for the analysis of cfDNA, cfRNA/miRNA, proteins, metabolites, and exosomes. By processing fresh blood in EDTA tubes shortly after collection, See.d maintains sample integrity and clinical value.

About SmartBioSurface® slides

Nanocoated SmartBioSurface® (SBS) slides enable the spontaneous adhesion of non-adhering cells and are compatible with a range of pathology techniques, including cytology, immunocytochemistry, immunofluorescence, and FISH. They ensure efficient cell adhesion, maintain cell morphology, and provide optimal monolayer distribution, supporting multiplexing and AI-powered digital imaging for the automated detection and profiling of rare circulating tumor and immune cells. Furthermore, identified cells can be recovered through microdissection for single-cell molecular analysis.

About Tethis

Tethis is a diagnostic company engaged in the development of an innovative workflow to integrate liquid biopsy into clinical practice, offering precise cancer management. Tethis' technology focuses on standardizing the preparation of blood samples to ensure the highest quality and integrity of liquid biopsy specimens. This approach facilitates a comprehensive analysis of all clinically relevant biomarkers. The company's nanocoated SBS slides, in conjunction with the See.d instrument, enable the identification and characterization of rare cells in the blood, such as circulating tumor cells, with unparalleled sensitivity, even in early-stage settings. The company is headquartered in Milan, Italy. More information can be found at www.tethis-lab.com.

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