Groundbreaking UK Prostate Test May Eliminate Biopsies for Most Men
A British-developed prostate cancer test from Oxford BioDynamics, based at ARC Oxford, could eliminate the need for biopsies in four out of five cases, a recent study suggests.
The EpiSwitch PSE next generation blood test has an accuracy of 94% in identifying prostate cancer, the most common form of the disease among men in the UK, compared with a standard test alone which has an accuracy of around 50%. A peer-reviewed study due to be published in the Cancers medical journal, accepts the findings that up to 80% of patients could potentially avoid unnecessary prostate biopsies, a stumbling block in men going to get tested in the first place.
Dr Alexandre Akoulitchev, Chief Scientific Officer at Oxford BioDynamics said: “This study builds on our earlier robust clinical validation work which demonstrated the application of EpiSwitch PSE as a precise, minimally invasive test that empowers clinicians and patients with clarity, reduced patient risk, and improved outcomes, while easing the pressure on the diagnostic pathway.”
You can read the full story online here.
Former Prime Minister Rishi Sunak recently visited Oxford BioDynamics at ARC Oxford for his new role as an ambassador for a prostate cancer charity. The former Conservative leader said he was honoured to “support the Prostate Cancer Research’s mission to revolutionise diagnosis and treatment.” In government, Mr Sunak announced a £42million screening trial with the charity to find ways of detecting prostate cancer earlier.
Oxford BioDynamics is a part of ARC Oxford’s growing life sciences cluster, including organisations like Yellowstone Biosciences, OMass Therapeutics and MiroBio, and is one of 35 science and tech organisations at the campus. The campus has ambitious growth plans to support organisations scale their innovative products. Phase one, announced last year, will bring Ascent, a state-of-the-art, 105,000 sq. ft lab-ready development to the campus. Opening in early 2026, Ascent is projected to create around 500 jobs and contribute £38million to the economy each year.
Photo credit: Roland Hoskins
