CATCH-U-DNA · Project

Cheaper Cancer Blood Tests Without PCR Using Sound Wave Technology

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Right now, finding tiny traces of tumor DNA floating in a patient's blood requires a process called PCR — essentially photocopying the DNA millions of times so there's enough to detect. It's expensive, slow, and sometimes introduces errors. This project built a completely different approach: instead of copying the DNA, they use high-frequency sound waves to physically feel the shape of DNA molecules stuck to a sensor surface. Think of it like detecting a pebble in a pond not by looking for it, but by how it changes the ripples. The goal is a simpler, faster, and cheaper way to spot cancer mutations from a simple blood draw.

By the numbers

100

Cancer patients in clinical biobank (lung and colorectal)

Consortium partners

Countries in consortium

Cancer mutations targeted (KRAS, EGFR, BRAF)

Total project deliverables

The business problem

What needed solving

Detecting cancer early or monitoring treatment response requires finding tiny fragments of tumor DNA circulating in a patient's blood. The current gold-standard method (PCR) requires expensive equipment, trained technicians, and multiple processing steps — making it slow, costly, and sometimes unreliable due to amplification bias. Simpler and cheaper detection methods would open liquid biopsy to wider clinical use and underserved markets.

The solution

What was built

The project built an acoustic wave biosensor platform that detects circulating tumor DNA without PCR amplification, using high-frequency sound waves (up to GHz range) combined with microfluidic enrichment using magnetic beads. They created a clinical biobank of 100 lung and colorectal cancer patients with matched tissue and blood samples, and validated detection of KRAS, EGFR, and BRAF mutations in serum.

Audience

Who needs this

IVD companies developing liquid biopsy or companion diagnostic kitsPoint-of-care device manufacturers targeting decentralized cancer testingPharmaceutical companies needing simpler ctDNA monitoring in oncology clinical trialsBiosensor and microfluidics companies looking for new detection modalitiesHealthcare systems in developing countries seeking affordable cancer diagnostics

Business applications

Who can put this to work

In-Vitro Diagnostics

mid-size

Target: IVD companies developing liquid biopsy platforms

If you are an IVD manufacturer struggling with the cost and complexity of PCR-based liquid biopsy kits — this project developed an acoustic wave sensor platform that detects circulating tumor DNA without any DNA amplification step. They validated it against KRAS, EGFR, and BRAF mutations in serum from 100 cancer patients. This could dramatically simplify your assay workflow and reduce per-test consumable costs.

Point-of-Care Diagnostics

SME

Target: Companies building portable or decentralized diagnostic devices

If you are developing point-of-care diagnostic tools and need a detection method that works without thermal cyclers or complex lab equipment — this project created acoustic biosensors operating up to the GHz range combined with microfluidics for sample enrichment. The PCR-free design means fewer components and simpler instruments, making it viable for use outside centralized labs.

Pharmaceutical & Oncology

enterprise

Target: Pharma companies running clinical trials with companion diagnostics

If you are a pharma company needing to monitor treatment response through circulating tumor DNA in colorectal or lung cancer trials — this project built a platform that detects common mutations (KRAS, EGFR, BRAF) directly from serum without amplification bias. With a clinical biobank of 100 patients already established, there is real-world validation data to build on.

Frequently asked

Quick answers

How much would this technology cost compared to current PCR-based methods?

The project aimed to eliminate the need for PCR amplification entirely, which removes the cost of polymerase enzymes, thermal cycling equipment, and multi-step sample preparation. Based on available project data, specific per-test pricing was not published, but the core value proposition is a simpler, more affordable diagnostic method by design.

Can this scale to handle high-throughput clinical testing?

The platform combines acoustic wave sensors with microfluidic sample enrichment using magnetic beads, which is inherently amenable to miniaturization and parallel processing. However, the project validated on a cohort of 100 patients with lung or colorectal cancer, so scaling to high-volume clinical use would require further engineering and regulatory validation.

What is the IP situation and how could a company license this?

The project was coordinated by IDRYMA TECHNOLOGIAS KAI EREVNAS (FORTH) in Greece, with 8 partners across 5 countries including 2 industry partners. IP generated under Horizon 2020 is typically owned by the partner that created it. Licensing discussions would need to go through the consortium, primarily the coordinator.

Has this been tested on real patient samples?

Yes. The project created a clinical biobank from 100 patients with lung or colorectal cancer. Tumor tissue and matched plasma/serum were collected before treatment initiation or during routine evaluation, along with a database tracking disease stage, treatment, response, and survival.

What specific cancer mutations can this detect?

The platform was validated for detection of KRAS, EGFR, and BRAF mutations in serum. These are among the most clinically relevant mutations in colorectal and lung cancers, used to guide treatment decisions and monitor disease progression.

Would this need regulatory approval before commercial use?

Yes. As a diagnostic device for clinical use, it would require CE-IVD marking in Europe and FDA clearance in the US. The project delivered proof-of-principle validation, but a commercializing company would need to complete analytical and clinical validation studies to meet regulatory requirements.

Consortium

Who built it

The CATCH-U-DNA consortium brings together 8 partners from 5 countries (Germany, Greece, Spain, France, Israel), coordinated by FORTH, one of Greece's leading research institutions. The mix includes 3 universities, 3 research organizations, and 2 industry partners (1 SME), giving it a 25% industry ratio. For a business looking to engage, the presence of industry partners signals some commercial awareness, but the heavy research-institution weighting and FET Open funding scheme confirm this is fundamentally an early-stage technology. A licensing or co-development partner would be working with academic groups to bring the platform closer to market.

IDRYMA TECHNOLOGIAS KAI EREVNASCoordinator · EL
ADVANCED WAVE SENSORS S.L.participant · ES
JOBST TECHNOLOGIES GMBHparticipant · DE
BEN-GURION UNIVERSITY OF THE NEGEVparticipant · IL
PANEPISTIMIO KRITISparticipant · EL
INSTITUT CURIEparticipant · FR
UNIVERSIDAD AUTONOMA DE MADRIDparticipant · ES
CENTRE NATIONAL DE LA RECHERCHE SCIENTIFIQUE CNRSthirdparty · FR

How to reach the team

IDRYMA TECHNOLOGIAS KAI EREVNAS (FORTH), Greece — a major Greek research foundation. Contact through their technology transfer office or via the project website.

Order a report on this consortium See IDRYMA TECHNOLOGIAS KAI EREVNAS profile →

Next steps

Talk to the team behind this work.

Want an introduction to the CATCH-U-DNA team to explore licensing or co-development? SciTransfer can arrange a direct meeting with the right people in the consortium.

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