Vortex Liquid Biopsy Solutions has launched a clinical study with TDL Trials to investigate how live circulating tumour cells isolated from a simple blood draw could help clinicians monitor cancer progression and treatment response in real time. The collaboration brings together cell-capture technology, laboratory expertise and AI-driven analysis as interest grows in non-invasive approaches that can provide clearer biological insight into how a tumour behaves over the course of treatment.

The study will be run at TDL’s facilities in the Halo Building in London and will enrol patients with progressive cancer. Investigators will assess how effectively Vortex’s method isolates and preserves circulating tumour cells directly from whole blood, enabling closer examination of biomarkers that may signal how a tumour is changing.

Traditional biopsy procedures rely on tissue samples taken surgically, limiting how frequently clinicians can track changes in a patient’s disease. The Vortex system is designed to extract intact, living cancer cells within about an hour, allowing researchers to work with material that more closely reflects a tumour’s current behaviour. The company says the goal is to give clinicians information that could help support decisions on therapy selection, early detection of treatment resistance and ongoing disease monitoring.

AxonDx, Vortex’s strategic partner, will provide analytical support. The company will apply AI-driven tools to characterise the biology of the captured cells and examine patterns that may be associated with treatment response. The combination of live-cell capture and AI-based analytics is central to the study’s aim of assessing whether a blood test could realistically provide the type of timely insight needed to adapt care more quickly than is possible with periodic surgical biopsies.

Paul Reeves, managing director of Vortex, said: “Cancer is a leading cause of death worldwide and while treatments have advanced significantly, clinicians still need better ways to track how the disease is responding in real time. This study is an important step in showing how live circulating tumour cells can give doctors that insight, helping to refine treatment choices and improve outcomes for patients.”

Nigel Brooksby, non-executive chairman of Vortex, added: “This collaboration brings together clinical excellence and cutting-edge technology to address a growing global health need. Partnering with TDL, a leader in clinical laboratory services, allows us to generate the real-world evidence needed to bring liquid biopsy testing into routine clinical use and make precision medicine more accessible worldwide.”

The study is positioned as part of a broader shift towards minimally invasive methods that offer a more dynamic view of cancer biology. If successful, it could support the case for integrating circulating tumour cell analysis into routine oncology practice and expand the use of real-time monitoring across breast cancer and potentially other tumour types.