Circulating Diseased Cell Detection via Marker Profile Segmentation

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current diagnostic methods rely on population-derived average values, making them inadequate for early and personalized detection of diseases, as they fail to account for individual variations in marker expression levels.

Innovation Solution

A method involving the comparison of marker profiles between circulating diseased cells and control cells or bodily fluids to identify disease-specific markers, enhancing specificity, sensitivity, and accuracy by enriching the signal of disease-associated markers.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If population-derived average values are used for diagnosis, then general applicability is improved, but measurement precision deteriorates due to individual variations in marker expression levels

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvegeneral applicabilityVSAvoiddetection accuracy
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSMeasurement precision

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the blood sample into distinct cell populations (diseased cells vs. control cells) and analyzes marker expression in each population separately. This segmentation allows for personalized diagnosis by comparing disease-specific marker profiles within the individual's own sample, eliminating the need for population-derived averages while maintaining detection accuracy.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent extracts and isolates circulating diseased cells from the patient's blood sample, separating them from control cells. This extraction enables focused analysis of disease-specific markers in the diseased cell population, improving measurement precision by eliminating confounding variations from healthy cells and population averages.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

2Measurement precision

If circulating diseased cells are analyzed, then detection sensitivity is improved, but device complexity increases due to cell isolation and profiling requirements

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedetection sensitivityVSAvoidmethod complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent employs antibodies that specifically bind to disease-associated markers on circulating diseased cells, enabling self-sorting and isolation of the target cells. This self-service approach simplifies the isolation process by leveraging the cells' own marker expression to facilitate their separation and enrichment, reducing the need for complex external sorting mechanisms.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

The patent utilizes fluorescently labeled antibodies that bind to disease-specific markers, causing diseased cells to exhibit fluorescent signals. This color/fluorescence change enables easy identification, separation, and enrichment of circulating diseased cells from control cells, simplifying the analysis process while maintaining high detection sensitivity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #32Color changes

Data Source

PatentEP2861788B1Methods of detecting diseases or conditions using circulating diseased cells
Publication Date: 2018.10.10 PROGENITY INC

AI summary

This invention provides methods of using circulating diseased cells in the diagnosis, prognosis, or monitoring of diseases or conditions. The invention also provides methods of using circulating diseased cells to identify markers of diseases or conditions. This invention also provides methods for assessing the risk of developing a disease or condition, prognosing said disease, monitoring said disease progression or regression, assessing the efficacy of a treatment, or identifying a compound capable of ameliorating or treating said disease or condition.