Bio - Techne has been awarded breakthrough device designation by the Food and Drug Administration for its IntelliScore exosome test , which detects genomic markers from prostate cancer cells . The company said the urine test was the first liquid biopsy to receive such approval . It spares patients having to rely on what the National Cancer Institute has said are less reliable tissue biopsies or prostate - specific antigen blood tests . That deal marked Bio-Techne’s 14th acquisition in five years, including its 2016 purchase of Advanced Cell Diagnostics as its first foray into genomics. Bio - Techne bought the test as part of its $ 575 m acquisition of Exosome Diagnostics . The test is already available in the US and the National Comprehensive Cancer Network includes it in its breast cancer guidelines .
Bio - Techne has been awarded breakthrough device designation by the Food and Drug Administration for its IntelliScore exosome test , which detects genomic markers from prostate cancer cells . The company said the urine test was the first liquid biopsy to receive such approval . It spares patients having to rely on what the National Cancer Institute has said are less reliable tissue biopsies or prostate - specific antigen blood tests . Bio - Techne bought the test as part of its $ 575 m acquisition of Exosome Diagnostics . The test is already available in the US and the National Comprehensive Cancer Network includes it in its breast cancer guidelines .