Live-cell liquid biopsy study aims to transform cancer treatment

Vortex Liquid Biopsy Solutions Ltd (‘Vortex’), a leading innovator in oncology diagnostics, has announced a major new clinical study with The Doctors Laboratory (TDL) Trials, aimed at transforming how cancer is monitored and treated. The research will take place at TDL’s advanced facilities in the HALO Building, London, and will focus on assessing how effectively Vortex’s technology can capture and analyse live circulating tumour cells (CTCs) from patient blood samples.

A less invasive, more dynamic approach

Traditional tumour biopsies require surgically removing tissue, a procedure that is invasive, disruptive and unsuitable for many patients. Vortex’s liquid biopsy platform offers a less invasive alternative by isolating intact, living cancer cells directly from whole blood within about an hour. These cells are captured at high purity and high yield, preserving their natural state for detailed analysis.

“Cancer is a leading cause of death worldwide and while treatments have advanced significantly, clinicians still need better ways to track how the disease is responding in real time,” said Dr Paul Reeves, managing director of Vortex. “This study is an important step in showing how live circulating tumour cells can give doctors that insight, helping to refine treatment choices and improve outcomes for patients.”

The ability to analyse live CTCs could offer clinicians a clearer, more immediate picture of how a patient’s cancer is evolving. Biomarker characterisation, mutation tracking and treatment-response monitoring – all carried out on cells collected through a simple blood draw – could help guide therapy selection far more dynamically than traditional methods.

Vortex's proprietary technology, the VTX-1 Liquid Biopsy System. Image Credit: Vortex[/caption]

Combining live cell capture with advanced analytics

Set to begin in Q4 2025, the study will be supported by AxonDx, Vortex’s strategic partner. AxonDx will apply its AI-driven analytical tools to interpret the captured cells, allowing for deeper biological insights that could help clinicians monitor disease progression more precisely.

This collaboration brings together clinical excellence and cutting-edge technology to address a growing global health need.

“This collaboration brings together clinical excellence and cutting-edge technology to address a growing global health need,” said Dr Nigel Brookes, non-executive chairman of Vortex. “Partnering with TDL, a leader in clinical laboratory services, allows us to generate the real-world evidence needed to bring liquid biopsy testing into routine clinical use and make precision medicine more accessible worldwide.”

A potential turning point in cancer monitoring

By capturing living cancer cells in their natural, unaltered state, researchers and clinicians can observe how tumours behave and respond to treatment in near real time. This could enable earlier detection of therapeutic resistance, more accurate tracking of disease progression and more confident clinical decision-making.

By capturing living cancer cells in their natural, unaltered state, researchers and clinicians can observe how tumours behave and respond to treatment in near real time.

If successful, the study could contribute to a shift towards routine clinical adoption of liquid biopsy testing, reducing reliance on surgical procedures and giving clinicians faster, more actionable insights. For patients, this may translate into more personalised treatment plans and improved outcomes.