CelLBxHealth plc

 ("CelLBxHealth" or "the Company")

Research Collaboration with The Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust

on novel CTC clinical study in advanced lung cancer

·    Clinical study in 200 patients whose circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) testing is uninformative

·    CTC-DNA profiling is expected to deliver additional information for treatment decisions

Guildford, UK and Plymouth Meeting, U.S. - 20 April 2026 - CelLBxHealth plc (AIM:CLBX), a CTC intelligence company specialising in innovative circulating tumor cell (CTC) solutions for use in research, drug development and clinical oncology announces a research collaboration with The Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust ("The Royal Marsden"), one of the world's leading cancer centres.

CelLBxHealth and The Royal Marsden will jointly undertake a translational clinical study in 200 patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). The prospective, single timepoint study will be embedded within an existing study in which patients are undergoing molecular testing of ctDNA from blood.

In the 10-15% of patients whose ctDNA testing is "uninformative," (meaning it does not identify actionable genomic mutations), CTC-DNA will be analysed to uncover actionable mutations that may guide targeted treatment decisions in this underserved cohort. This approach is supported by studies which have shown that DNA from CTCs can provide additional actionable mutations^1,2. 

Secondary objectives include assessing CTC consistency with tumor tissue profiling and evaluating whether the combined approach increases overall detection of clinically relevant genomic mutations.

The project will be jointly led by Dr Lavanya Sivapalan, Head of R&D at CelLBxHealth, and Professor Michael Hubank, Scientific Director of the Clinical Genomics Service at The Royal Marsden. Results of the study are anticipated by year end and all anonymised data generated during the study will be shared between both parties to support joint analysis and translational insights.

Peter Collins, Chief Executive Officer of CelLBxHealth, commented: "This collaboration with The Royal Marsden represents a great opportunity to deliver precision oncology for a significant number of NSCLC patients for whom standard of care tissue biopsy and ctDNA analysis is unable to identify genetic alterations that confer eligibility for a wide range of effective targeted therapies. By integrating a reflex to CTC-DNA analysis, we aim to identify those clinically actionable alterations and expand treatment options for this patient group. We are delighted to partner with a globally recognised institution to evaluate the potential of this combined approach in a real-world clinical setting."

For further information:

About The Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust

This year marks 175 years of The Royal Marsden. Since 1851, it has led the way in cancer research, education and treatment, building a legacy of innovation, compassion and putting patients first. This work has been made possible by the clinicians, nurses, researchers and support staff, alongside remarkable donors whose belief in the development of better treatments has driven this innovation throughout the last 175 years. The inspirational supporters of The Royal Marsden Cancer Charity remain at the heart of the hospital's breakthroughs, helping to save the lives of cancer patients around the world.  

The Royal Marsden opened in 1851 as the world's first hospital dedicated to cancer diagnosis, treatment, research and education. Today it operates as a specialist cancer centre and is ranked in the top 10 specialised hospitals in the world. 

The Trust was delighted to welcome Her Royal Highness The Princess of Wales as Joint Patron with His Royal Highness The Prince of Wales, in January 2025. 

Together with its principal academic partner, The Institute of Cancer Research, London, The Royal Marsden is designated as the UK's only National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) Biomedical Research Centre (BRC) dedicated solely to cancer. 

The Royal Marsden and the ICR are recognised as one of the top four comprehensive cancer centres in the world for the impact of their research, influencing cancer treatment and care for cancer patients globally. 

As a centre of excellence, we pioneer the very latest in cancer treatments and technologies, as well as leading the way in innovative cancer diagnosis and education. 

About CelLBxHealth plc

CelLBxHealth plc is a CTC intelligence company specialising in innovative circulating tumor cell (CTC) solutions for use in research, drug development and clinical oncology. Its patent-protected Parsortix® Platform harvests CTCs from blood and can be integrated with existing laboratory instruments for comprehensive downstream analysis - including whole-cell imaging, proteomic profiling and full genomic workflows.

Commercial focus span three revenue streams - Product Sales of the Parsortix platform and consumables through CRO and clinical lab partnerships, Laboratory Services including clinical trial support and assay development delivered from a GCLP-compliant UK facility, and Lab Developed Tests (LDTs), pursued through a combination of strategic partnerships and in-house development.

For more information, visit https://cellbxhealth.com/.

References

1.  Markou, A. N. et al. Preoperative Mutational Analysis of Circulating Tumor Cells (CTCs) and Plasma-cfDNA Provides Complementary Information for Early Prediction of Relapse: A Pilot Study in Early-Stage Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer. Cancers 15, 1877 (2023).

2.  Wishart, G., Templeman, A., Hendry, F., Miller, K. & Pailhes-Jimenez, A.-S. Molecular Profiling of Circulating Tumour Cells and Circulating Tumour DNA: Complementary Insights from a Single Blood Sample Utilising the Parsortix® System. Curr. Issues Mol. Biol. 46, 773-787 (2024).