“The results from our study support using DiviTum®TKa to monitor efficacy during treatment and predict response to palbociclib, a standard therapy for women with metastatic breast cancer. It is interesting to learn that DiviTum®TKa can identify progression many months ahead of imaging,” said Jairam Krishnamurthy, Lead Author of the study at Division of Oncology/Hematology, University of Nebraska Medical Center.

The current study examines the capability of DiviTum®TKa to be an early predictor of treatment efficacy, and also as a tool for serial monitoring of women with metastatic breast cancer. The study tests a new dosing schedule of a CDK 4/6 inhibitor (palbociclib) and uses DiviTum®TKa to predict response of the therapy. Serum samples were collected pre-treatment and during therapy from 51 patients.

Results show that patients with a tumor response or no disease progression as their best response had significantly lower DiviTum®TKa values at baseline than patients with progressive disease as their best response. During serial monitoring a rise in thymidine kinase activity (TKa) was a predictor of disease progression more than three months prior to imaging progression. The study investigators conclude that serum TKa levels at baseline and on-therapy dynamics show promise for response prediction and monitoring of palbociclib therapy.

“One of our original hypotheses with the DiviTum®TKa test was that TKa levels would be a strong predictor of the treatment effect of cell cycle regulating therapies. In examining the relationship between TKa and treatment with a CDK 4/6 inhibitor, we see strong clinical data that supports that hypothesis. We are very appreciative of the work done by the investigators and their patients to further advance the science.” said Anders Rylander, CEO of Biovica.