Motivations for startups can come from many alternative locations. For Andrea Stephany, co-founder and CEO of OncoSwab, it got here from household. A number of years in the past, her mom started experiencing a cough and different signs that she feared have been indicators of lung most cancers. To seek out out for positive, she tried to get a CT scan, which is at the moment one of many customary methods of detecting one of these most cancers. From first complaining of signs to getting the CT scan scheduled took Stephany’s mom 15 months.
“It was 15 months of fixed worrying and considering,” Stephany stated. “It was difficult to expertise that firsthand, how gradual the system may be, what number of obstacles there are for a doubtlessly unhealthy prognosis.”
The scan turned out damaging and Stephany’s mom is wholesome. If OncoSwab succeeds with its analysis, folks like Stephany’s mom may have entry to a less complicated lung most cancers detection take a look at that gained’t require the time and problem of scheduling medical imaging. The one factor the take a look at requires of a affected person is a nasal swab that may be accomplished from the comfort of dwelling.
Whereas the motivation for OncoSwab got here from Stephany’s mom, the roots of the startup’s know-how stem from a 2022 hackathon within the Dutch metropolis of Leiden. Greater than 100 younger scientists attended the multi-day occasion, which divided members into small groups and challenged them to seek out new options to international issues. Stephany’s group was amongst these engaged on options for most cancers.
The Covid-19 pandemic was nonetheless recent within the minds of many hackathon members, together with Stephany. She recalled the efforts to develop new and higher methods of detecting the novel coronavirus and was impressed to develop the same take a look at for most cancers, one which analyze a nasal swab and to detect indicators of the illness. Stephany’s group gained third place within the most cancers class.
Imaging assessments are how lung cancers are generally detected. Past a chest x-ray, strategies embody CT, MRI, and PET scans. Along with being costly and requiring a affected person to go to a healthcare facility, Stephany stated these assessments usually come too late. Earlier detection permits earlier intervention, when most cancers remedy gives a greater probability of success. Most lung cancers are recognized when the illness has already reached a extra superior stage, which is why demise charges for one of these most cancers are so excessive, Stephany stated.
Tumors shed compounds that may be picked up in screening assessments. Liquid biopsies are primarily based on the flexibility to select up organic indicators of a most cancers that flow into within the blood. The thought of utilizing a nasal swab to detect lung most cancers is predicated on the character of one of these most cancers. OncoSwab’s strategy is predicated on proof that indicators of lung most cancers are discovered within the air we exhale. Stephany stated pulmonologists she has spoken with expressed assist for OncoSwab’s strategy.
“The tumor is in fixed contact with the airway — that’s why some medical doctors say that it makes whole sense,” she stated.
The OncoSwab take a look at is designed for pattern assortment both at a affected person’s dwelling or on the level of care. Evaluation of the nasal swab seems for biomarkers of lung most cancers. Stephany stated these biomarkers are identified within the most cancers analysis neighborhood, however for confidentiality causes, she can’t disclose particular biomarkers that OncoSwab is detecting. She did acknowledge that the startup’s take a look at seems for a mix of biomarkers, that are analyzed with a proprietary algorithm. Evaluation of the samples will occur in an OncoSwab lab. The corporate has an R&D lab in Europe. Stephany plans to ascertain a U.S. lab when the corporate approaches commercialization, which she acknowledges continues to be far-off. The know-how will yield a take a look at end in 24 to 48 hours.
OncoSwab, which splits its operations between San Francisco and Corroux, Switzerland, included in 2023. Stephany stated her discussions with pulmonologists revealed one other pressing want past screening. When a affected person goes to the emergency room and receives a CT scan for any motive, generally that scan reveals a nodule within the lung that would point out lung most cancers. For a extra definitive reply, the subsequent step is a biopsy. OncoSwab’s take a look at might provide a much less invasive strategy to decide whether or not a nodule is most cancers.
“That lung nodule may be nothing, most likely, but it surely can be most cancers,” Stephany stated. “The system is simply too overwhelmed to comply with up. 60%, if no more, are misplaced utterly within the system. In 60%, some may be lung most cancers.”
OncoSwab isn’t the one firm creating a take a look at that detects most cancers from compounds swirling in folks’s airways. Like OncoSwab, a few of these corporations have Covid-19 origins. The breath take a look at that Breathe Biomedical is creating for most cancers was conceived in the course of the pandemic. This breath evaluation know-how was in a position to differentiate between these with Covid-19 pneumonia and people with out Covid-19 pneumonia. Outcomes have been revealed in March 2024 within the Journal of Breath Analysis.
Breathe Biomedical’s most cancers analysis began with lung most cancers. However in 2023, the corporate pivoted to breast most cancers detection. Long term, Breathe Biomedical has stated it goals to develop its know-how right into a medical system providing multi-disease detection, a purpose shared by many on this rising subject. Firms creating assessments that analyze breath to detect indicators of most cancers and different ailments embody Owlstone Medical, Pulmostics, Noze, and Blu Biotech.
Stephany acknowledged that there’s alternative to use OncoSwab’s know-how to different circumstances, together with further cancers. However she stated the corporate’s preliminary focus is lung most cancers. OncoSwab is creating its know-how as a laboratory developed take a look at, which doesn’t require FDA clearance. The corporate is supported by an undisclosed quantity of pre-seed financing and is at the moment trying to increase further capital to fund scientific analysis.
Illustration: Blueringmedia, Getty Photographs
