MENARINI is a fully integrated privately owned pharma company with a long and successful heritage in strategic partnering across the globe. We have a profound know-how stemming from our strong R&D capabilities in key therapeutic areas, coupled with our excellence in commercial execution and our powerful direct presence on a global basis.
Advanced Diagnostics through rare cells analysis
Menarini Silicon Biosystems develops technologies and products to improve diagnostic and therapeutic approaches to human health by enabling detection and analysis of important but rare cells associated with disease, and to provide clinical researchers with access to unparalleled precision in molecular characterization.
Offering two technologies, CELLSEARCH® and DEPArray™, the company provides advanced solutions in the cell-based liquid biopsy field for the study of Circulating Tumor Cells (CTCs) and in molecular pathology to resolve tumor tissue heterogeneity.
Liquid Biopsy and The Value of Circulating Tumor Cells (CTCs)
Liquid biopsy offers a non-invasive approach to follow a cancer patient over the therapeutic journey, thus it can guide better therapeutic strategy. Liquid biopsy based on circulating tumor cells (CTCs) holds incredible promises as CTCs reflect in real-time the tumor biological progression with all its heterogeneity. Their molecular genetic profile can be useful to identify therapeutic targets and predict response to therapies.
The CELLSEARCH® CTC Test is a simple, actionable blood test that helps oncologists assess the prognosis of patients with metastatic breast, prostate, or colorectal cancer. The CELLSEARCH Circulating Tumor Cell (CTC) Test is the first and only actionable test for detecting CTCs that has been cleared by the FDA (full intended use available at www.cellsearchctc.com). Circulating tumor cells (CTCs), as measured by the CELLSEARCH CTC Test, are a strong, independent predictor of overall and progression-free survival in metastatic breast, prostate, and colorectal cancer. Throughout therapy, CELLSEARCH CTC testing can be used to monitor a patient’s status by showing whether their prognosis on any given therapy is favorable or unfavorable at any given time.
CTCs enumeration and beyond
Beyond enumeration, molecular characterization of CTCs is integral to understanding the mechanisms of metastatic spread, tumor evolution, drug resistance, and immune evasion. DEPArray technology allows isolation of single CTCs and enables single cell genetic analysis to provide a more complete and dynamic picture of a tumor’s biology.
The power of CELLSEARCH and DEPArray together is to provide a comprehensive solution that is unique in the liquid biopsy space. Enumeration, purification, cell sorting, image analysis, and unparalleled molecular characterization is already driving clinical research to new levels and new frontiers. Our vision for the future is for noninvasive liquid biopsies to provide the information required to drive clinical decision making, clinical research, and precise targeted therapies for better patient outcomes.
CTCs - Liquid Biopsy
Circulating Tumor Cells (CTCs) released from the tumor into the blood stream reflect in real-time tumor progression with all its heterogeneity. CTC based liquid biopsy requires dedicated methods and technologies for CTC enumeration and CTC molecular characterization.
Molecular Pathology
Formalin Fixation is the gold standard in pathology for the preservation of tumor tissues. Purification of tumor cells from FFPE tissues can help resolve issues related to low cellularity and enable high sensitivity and high-resolution molecular analysis.
Resolving heterogeneity in solid tumors
The DEPArray System separate tumor, stromal and other cell types from disaggregated FFPE samples allowing to:
- Collect meaningful results even from minute samples
- Obtain pure cell populations from mixtures of phenotypically distinct cells
- Enable a complete tumor characterization in pure populations or single cells
