Biocept, Inc. (BIOC) today announced the launch of a new liquid biopsy diagnostic test for colorectal cancer. Biocept is a pharmaceutical company focused on developing and commercializing liquid biopsies to improve the detection of many cancers. The company launched its proprietary quantitative Target Selector Assay targeting KRAS mutations using a patient's blood sample. 

What makes Biocept's liquid biopsy test useful for patients and physicians alike? Well: 

1. For starters it helps doctors learn whether or not a patient would benefit from a targeted form of therapy approach instead of an open ended one.
2. The test can be used to monitor a patient and to determine if that patient is responding to the treatment.
3. Determine if the disease has progressed to a further stage.

These KRAS mutation cancers are found in up to 40% of colorectal cancer patients. They have also been identified with high frequency in lung cancer, pancreatic cancer, and several other solid tumor cancers. A liquid biopsy test could be useful to determine the type of targeted therapy a patient would need to attack the cancer. 

The KRAS gene in these cancers has shown to be resistant to a several therapies, including anti-EGFR monoclonal antibody therapies. The KRAS gene has been resistant to Amgen (AMGN) Vectibix and Eli Lilly (LLY) Erbitux. This technology from Biocept could help patients avoid having to go through a treatment they would otherwise turn out to be resistant to. 

Shares of Biocept were up 10% in pre-market trading after the news was announced this morning  but have since fallen, only up almost 3% for the day so far.