Liquid Biopsy Detection of TF-Ag-α-Positive Cancer-Associated Exosomes

 A liquid biopsy assay detecting TF-Ag-α–positive tumor-derived exosomes for cancer screening, early detection and treatment monitoring.  

Background:

Cancer diagnostics are rapidly evolving as early detection and treatment monitoring are critical to improving patient outcomes. Traditional methods such as imaging and tissue biopsies are often invasive, expensive, and limited in their ability to detect cancers at their earliest stages or capture dynamic changes in tumor biology.

Liquid biopsies have emerged as a promising alternative by detecting circulating biomarkers in blood, enabling more frequent monitoring. However, current liquid biopsy technologies frequently rely on circulating tumor DNA or nonspecific protein biomarkers, which lack sufficient specificity and sensitivity, particularly for early-stage disease. For example, common markers such as PSA and CA125 can be elevated in benign conditions, leading to false positives, while tissue-based assays such as PD-L1 staining are limited by tumor heterogeneity and static nature of biopsy samples. More accurate, reliable and cost-effective diagnostics are urgently needed for cancer screening, early detection and real-time treatment monitoring.

Technology Overview: 

This University at Buffalo technology is a liquid biopsy assay designed to detect tumor-derived exosomes in serum samples. The assay targets the α-linked Thomsen–Friedenreich antigen (TF-Ag-α), a cancer-associated glycan expressed on exosomes released by many carcinomas but largely absent in healthy tissues. Detection of TF-Ag-α–positive exosomes serves as a highly specific indicator of the presence of cancer, enabling minimally invasive early cancer detection from a small serum sample. In addition, the technology enables monitoring of treatment response by measuring clinically relevant markers carried on TF-Ag-α–positive, tumor-derived exosomes. These markers, such as PD-L1 can provide insight into treatment responsiveness, including predicting the likelihood of immunotherapy success or monitoring therapeutic efficacy over time. This approach offers a promising strategy for noninvasive cancer diagnostics and longitudinal disease monitoring.  

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Source: https://stock.adobe.com/uk/274189580

 Advantages:

• Minimally invasive assay requiring only a small serum sample (~10 μL).
• High tumor specificity through targeting TF-Ag-α–positive exosomes.
• Broad cancer applicability including lung, breast, colon, ovarian and prostate cancers.
• Predicts and monitors patient response to immunotherapy through detection of biomarkers on TF-Ag-α–positive tumor-derived exosomes.
• Rapid, cost-effective and scalable assay suitable for clinical translation.

 Applications:  

• Multi-cancer early detection
• Liquid biopsy–based cancer screening
• Immunotherapy response prediction and monitoring
• Minimally invasive disease surveillance
• Companion diagnostics for targeted therapies

Intellectual Property Summary:

Provisional Patent Application filed. 

Stage of Development:

TRL 3-4

Licensing Status:

Available for license or collaboration 

Additional Information: 

Hsu CC, Su Y, Rittenhouse-Olson K, Attwood KM, Mojica W, Reid ME, Dy GK, Wu Y. Exosomal Thomsen–Friedenreich glycoantigen: A new liquid biopsy biomarker for lung and breast cancer diagnoses. Cancer Research Communications. 2024;4(8):1933–1945. https://doi.org/10.1158/2767-9764.CRC-23-0505

Su Y, Qi M, Vasini S, Reid ME, Rittenhouse-Olson K, Dy GK, Wu Y. Exosomal Thomsen–Friedenreich Glycoantigen as a Sensitive and Specific Biomarker for Colon, Ovarian and Prostate Cancer Diagnosis. Cancers. 2025; 17(23):3729. https://doi.org/10.3390/cancers17233729