Oxford Biodynamics (OBD) Shares Gapped Up 27% on Bupa UK Deal

The Oxford Biodynamics PLC (LON: OBD) share price gapped up 26.9% upon revealing that it had signed an agreement with Bupa UK to give Bupa clients being considered for cancer treatment access to OBD's EpiSwitch CiRT (Checkpoint inhibitor Response Test). The test helps accurately determine the patient's response to the treatment.

The company noted that the EpiSwitch CiRT test is a groundbreaking and innovative blood test, marking a significant milestone in precision medicine. It is designed to accurately predict how an individual cancer patient will respond to immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs), offering unprecedented insights into the most effective treatment options. 

This revolutionary approach empowers physicians in decision-making, facilitating treatment planning and navigating complex choices.

Immune checkpoint inhibitors, such as anti-PD-1/L1 ICIs, promise long-term disease control for select patients. Yet, despite current standard screening tests like tumour PD-L1 expression, these treatments prove beneficial for less than 25% of patients, leaving a significant portion without lasting benefits and at risk of severe side effects requiring hospitalisation.

The partnership between Bupa and Oxford BioDynamics will ensure that Bupa health insurance customers under consideration for immunotherapy with anti-PD-1/L1 ICIs can access the CiRT test.

The agreement empowers healthcare providers with cutting-edge personalised guidance, enhancing patient care quality. More significantly, it will help avoid unnecessary side effects from ICI treatments for patients who would not benefit from them.

Moreover, the CiRT test will be available to physicians tasked with making crucial decisions regarding ICI treatment for Bupa customers, especially when faced with the daunting prospect of severe illness and the potential for a lack of response to conventional treatments.

Dr Jon Burrows, the CEO of Oxford BioDynamics, said: “Joining forces with a pioneering healthcare organisation like Bupa will enhance access to the EpiSwitch CiRT test across the UK. Gaining reimbursement from the UK's leading health insurer is another milestone for the Company, as well as for Bupa customers and their doctors. Current testing modalities lack the sensitivity, specificity and accuracy to identify those most likely to benefit from this class of therapy – the CiRT blood test is a first-of-its-kind test that addresses all of these shortcomings.”

Oxford Biodynamics (OBD) share price. 

The Oxford Biodynamics (OBD) share price gapped up 26.93% to trade at 41.0p, from Tuesday’s closing price of 32.3p.