BioCaptiva

BioCaptiva, a spinout from the University of Edinburgh founded in 2018, is focused on advancing early cancer detection through enhanced liquid biopsy technology. The company originated from a decade of research led by Professor Tim Aitman, Director of the Centre for Genomic and Experimental Medicine, and Professor Mark Bradley of the University's School of Chemistry. The management team includes CEO Jeremy Wheeler, who has a background in bringing medical devices to market, and Chair Frank M Armstrong, a medical doctor with executive experience at companies like Bayer AG. The board also features scientific and entrepreneurial expertise from individuals like Stephen Little, co-founder of personalized medicine firm DxS.

The core of BioCaptiva's offering is a proprietary medical device, the Bio-Collector (also referred to as BioCaptor or BioCaptis), designed to capture significantly larger quantities of circulating free DNA (cfDNA) from a patient's bloodstream than standard methods. This device works in conjunction with a standard apheresis machine, filtering cfDNA from the patient's entire blood system, overcoming the sample volume limitations of a typical venous blood draw. By yielding up to 100 times more cfDNA, the technology aims to improve the sensitivity and accuracy of liquid biopsy tests. This enables the detection of cancers at earlier stages, monitoring for residual disease post-treatment, and tracking for recurrence without the need for invasive surgical biopsies.

BioCaptiva operates within the global liquid biopsy market, which is projected for significant growth. The company's business model appears to be centered on the development and eventual commercialization of the Bio-Collector device and its underlying polymer technology, msX™. The technology is positioned to serve companies developing novel cancer tests that are currently limited by the low yield of existing cfDNA extraction methods. BioCaptiva has secured funding through seed rounds led by investors such as Archangels, Scottish Enterprise, and Old College Capital, the University of Edinburgh's venture fund, to finance first-in-human trials and prepare for regulatory submissions.

Keywords: liquid biopsy, cancer detection, cfDNA capture, medical device, oncology diagnostics, University of Edinburgh spinout, early cancer diagnosis, disease monitoring, Bio-Collector, apheresis, genomics, molecular diagnostics, personalized medicine, cancer management, non-invasive biopsy, circulating free DNA, genetic testing, healthcare technology, clinical trials, polymer technology