Trovagene said today that it has entered into a collaboration with the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center to detect transrenal BRAF mutations in the urine of patients with advanced or metastatic cancers.
Under the pact, researchers will use Trovagene's proprietary transrenal DNA detection technology to evaluate BRAF mutation status in urine compared to tissue biopsy. The researchers will also monitor mutation levels in the urine at planned intervals during and after treatment to assess outcomes including response rate; stable disease; progression-free survival; and overall survival. Results from patients who receive therapies such as BRAF inhibitors or MEK inhibitors will be compared to outcomes for patients who receive standard-of-care therapy regardless of mutation status.
The work builds upon a previous collaboration between Trovagene and MD Anderson to detect transrenal KRAS mutations in the urine of patients with pancreatic cancer.
Trovagene said in November that it had completed development of a molecular transrenal assay for detecting KRAS mutations, and expected to transfer the assay to its CLIA lab to offer the test commercially beginning this month. The test will use Bio-Rad's QX100 Droplet Digital PCR system to detect the most prevalent cancer-related KRAS mutations in cell-free nucleic acids from patient urine samples (PCR Insider, 11/29/2012).
The company is also working on assays to detect PIK3CA mutations.