Epic公司是一家私营生物技术公司，开发突破性的癌症诊断技术。2012年11月13日，Epic公司宣布它完成了1300万美元B轮股权融资。这轮融资包括了新投资者产业联合投资，罗氏风险基金及辉瑞风险投资，还有一些未公开的个人投资者。除此之外，Domain合作伙伴Kim Kamdar博士也将加入Epic的董事会。
Epic致力于研发高敏感度的诊断检测，从分子水平检测血液中循环肿瘤细胞（CTCs），从而为诊断癌症和监控及个性化癌症治疗提供更好的方式。循环肿瘤细胞是从实体瘤中逃离的细胞，进入血液中最终导致肿瘤的转移。当前的检测有侵入组织的检查，其主要就是检测实体肿瘤，但侵入组织的检查不能重复进行，而且对于了解肿瘤转移的风险、疾病恶化程度及治疗效果是无帮助的。血检可以准确地检测和描述循环肿瘤细胞中的生物标志物，而且这种方法可重复进行，并且能够反馈必要、实时的疾病状态信息，从而方便个性化用药。
Domain合作伙伴Kamdar博士说，“Epic的技术对于检测循环肿瘤细胞灵敏度高，为上百万需要了解他们的治疗方案是否有效，以及病情程度的病人研发出重要的癌症诊断。通过垂直整合工程学、计算机学、病理学和肿瘤学的专业知识，我们发现Epic的技术不仅对临床癌症治疗有重要的影响，同时对于新型癌症治疗和伴随诊断的研发有重要的意义。”
Epic Sciences的首席执行官David Nelson说，“无效的治疗既浪费生命，而且对医疗系统来说也非常昂贵。我们Epic专注于提供更好的工具，为合适的病人在适当的时间提供合适的治疗。我们风险投资的顶级团队精通肿瘤诊断的研发和个体化医疗。他们在通过商业化促进我们的诊断产品方面起着非常重要的作用，这样可以保证病人得到最好的结果。”
Nelson说，融资所得资金，Epic将利用其扩大研发业务和能力从而使公司CTC平台商业化，当然前提是CTC平台从斯克里普斯研究所取得许可证。Epic当前正和7个制药公司合作，研发出和肿瘤药物候选配套的伴随诊断产品，合作包括1500例病人参与的临床I期和II期试验。
Epic Sciences Announces Series B Financing to Advance Essential Cancer Diagnostics for Personalized Medicine
SAN DIEGO, California - 11/13/2012
Epic Sciences, Inc. ("Epic"), a private biotech company that develops breakthrough cancer diagnostics, announced today that it has completed a $13 million Series B equity financing. This financing includes new investors Domain Associates, Roche Venture Fund, and Pfizer Venture Investments, in addition to undisclosed individual investors. In conjunction with the financing, Kim Kamdar, Ph.D. will join Epic's board of directors.
Epic is developing highly sensitive diagnostic tests that molecularly characterize circulating tumor cells (CTCs) in the blood to provide a better way to detect cancer and to monitor and personalize cancer treatments. CTCs are cells that escape from solid tumors, enter the bloodstream where they travel and eventually cause cancer metastasis. Today, solid cancers are first detected by invasive biopsies, which cannot be used repeatedly and are ineffective in understanding metastatic risk, disease progression, and treatment effectiveness. A blood test that can accurately detect and profile biomarkers on CTCs can be conducted repeatedly and can give essential, real-time information about disease status to tailor treatments to a patient's specific tumor.
"Epic's technology has achieved an unprecedented level of sensitivity in detecting circulating tumor cells to develop crucial cancer diagnostics for the millions of patients who need to understand whether their treatment is working and the status of their disease," said Dr. Kamdar, partner at Domain Associates. "With deep vertical integration of expertise in engineering, computation, pathology and oncology, we see that Epic's technology will not only have a major impact on clinical cancer treatments but also on the development of new cancer therapeutics and companion diagnostics."
"Ineffective treatments cost lives and are tremendously expensive to the healthcare system. At Epic, we are focused on providing better tools to develop and deliver the right therapy to the right patient at the right time," said Dr. David Nelson, president and CEO of Epic Sciences. "Our top-tier group of venture investors has exceptional knowledge and capabilities in oncology diagnostic development and personalized medicine. They will be very valuable in accelerating our diagnostic products through commercialization to ensure the best outcomes for patients."
With the proceeds from the financing, Epic will expand research and development operations and capabilities to commercialize the company's CTC platform, the basis of which has been exclusively licensed from Dr. Peter Kuhn's laboratory at The Scripps Research Institute. Epic is currently working with seven pharmaceutical partners to create companion diagnostic products for oncology drug candidates. The partnerships include a number of Phase I and II clinical trials ultimately involving more than 1,500 patients. With these collaborations, Epic is developing a strong and diverse pipeline of companion diagnostic products.
（来源： Epic Sciences ）
版权与免责声明
- 凡本网注明“来源：来宝网”的所有作品，版权均属于来宝网，转载请必须注明来宝网，
http://www.labbase.net，违反者本网将追究相关法律责任。
- 本网转载并注明自其它来源的作品，目的在于传递更多信息，并不代表本网赞同其观点或证实其内容的真实性，不承担此类作品侵权行为的直接责任及连带责任。其他媒体、网站或个人从本网转载时，必须保留本网注明的作品来源，并自负版权等法律责任。
- 如涉及作品内容、版权等问题，请在作品发表之日起一周内与本网联系，否则视为放弃相关权利。
