Oxford BioDynamics has welcomed a new report from Prostate Cancer Research (PCR) that calls for the introduction of targeted prostate cancer screening in the UK, highlighting its EpiSwitch PSE blood test as a potential cornerstone for a national programme.
The report, Prostate Cancer Screening: The Impact on the NHS, published today by the leading UK charity, concludes that a national screening initiative for men aged 45 to 69 at high risk of prostate cancer is both feasible and necessary. It recommends that the UK National Screening Committee (NSC) consider implementing such a programme to reduce inequalities and improve early detection rates.
Central to the report’s findings is the recognition that new diagnostic technologies could address long-standing challenges in prostate cancer screening, particularly the high rate of false positives and the associated burden of unnecessary medical procedures.
Oxford BioDynamics’ innovation
Among the innovations cited is Oxford BioDynamics’ EpiSwitch PSE blood test, which the report identifies as offering “strong potential” to improve accuracy while reducing the need for MRI scans and biopsies in men who do not have clinically significant disease.
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The EpiSwitch PSE test, which combines traditional prostate-specific antigen (PSA) measurements with 3D genomics biomarkers, has demonstrated notably high specificity. According to Oxford BioDynamics, the assay achieves 97 per cent specificity, a level that could markedly decrease the number of patients referred for further invasive testing.
Modelling presented in the PCR report supports this potential impact. It suggests that incorporating a highly specific reflex test such as EpiSwitch PSE into a national screening pathway could reduce MRI demand by more than 86 per cent and cut biopsy procedures by 84 per cent. These reductions would not only ease pressure on NHS diagnostic services but also lead to significant cost savings.
Iain Ross, executive chairman of Oxford BioDynamics, said the report underscored that “the technologies and systems are now in place to make prostate cancer screening both feasible and effective.” He added that the company’s EpiSwitch PSE test could play a key role in “reducing inequalities and saving lives” through more targeted screening and better use of healthcare resources.
Significant reduction in MRIs and biopsies
Ross also pointed to real-world data published earlier this year, which indicated that the PSE test could enable clinicians to safely avoid biopsies in as many as 79 per cent of patients who present with elevated PSA levels. “The findings recognise that our EpiSwitch PSE blood test, with its unmatched specificity, could significantly reduce unnecessary MRIs and biopsies, and therefore help make large-scale screening a practical reality for the NHS,” he said.
The debate around prostate cancer screening has long centred on balancing the benefits of early detection against the harms of overdiagnosis and overtreatment. Conventional PSA testing has been criticised for generating high rates of false positives, leading to costly and often avoidable investigations. The PCR report argues that with advances in molecular diagnostics, including blood-based biomarker assays such as EpiSwitch PSE, the balance of evidence has shifted decisively in favour of targeted screening for at-risk groups.
Oxford BioDynamics, which is listed on AIM, specialises in developing clinical diagnostic tests based on its proprietary EpiSwitch 3D genomics platform. The company said it will continue to engage with NHS stakeholders and policymakers to support the implementation of screening programmes informed by the report’s recommendations.
