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New Detection Approach is Highly-Sensitive for Early Cancers and More Affordable for Patients
Keyword: Early cancer detection, blood-based test
Ottawa, ON and Philadelphia – Oct. 15, 2024 – Today, miRoncol, a medtech startup, announces it has completed proof-of-concept studies for a multi-cancer early detection blood test based on foundational discoveries and technologies recognized by the 2024 Nobel Prizes: microRNA and machine learning. miRoncol's test detects microRNA in the blood and applies its proprietary algorithm trained by machine learning to identify early cancers, before there are discernable physical symptoms.
MicroRNAs (abbreviated to miRNA in scientific papers) are short molecules composed of about 20 nucleotides and play a critical role in gene regulation. According to the Nobel Prize announcement: "This mechanism has enabled the evolution of increasingly complex organisms. We know from genetic research that cells and tissues do not develop normally without microRNAs. Abnormal regulation by microRNA can contribute to cancer..."
miRoncol published the first miRNA-based diagnostic model for multi-cancer early detection in the March 2022 issue of Cancers, which was followed by a second paper published recently entitled "Noninvasive Multi-Cancer Detection Using Blood-Based Cell-Free microRNAs" in Scientific Reports, a Nature Portfolio journal. The studies were performed using over 11,000 blood samples. miRoncol will next proceed with valdation studies, and plans to launch the test from Canada.
miRoncol—named as a combination of the words miracle, oncology, and miRNA—is the result of years of research and development. In the proof-of-concept studies, the multi-cancer early detection model detects 12 cancers, which account for roughly 60 percent of all cancer deaths. The model has more than 90% sensitivity (detecting 90% of cancer cases), for most of those cancer types while maintaining a 99% specificity (calling 99% of non-cancer controls correctly). It also detects early-stage cancers with a similar performance for cancer types with stage information available.
miRoncol CEO Victoria Xu said, "The completion of the proof-of-concept studies sets the stage for miRoncol to rapidly move forward with R&D to launch our service to the population in need. We are very pleased that two key components of our technologies, miRNA and machine learning, are recognized by this year's Nobel Prizes, and we have confidence in miRoncol's potential to change cancer early detection, which will impact healthcare in the near future."
miRoncol's medical advisor and medical oncologist Dr. Christopher Gallagher also shared, "The test has the potential to be a critical component of preventative health, helping people worried about their cancer risk discover silently-growing cancers early on. Many cancers are curable when discovered early. Much of today's cancer care system is set up as 'sick care' responding to advanced cancers requiring longitudinal palliative care costing $200 billion annually. We need better tools to diagnose cancers when curable instead of when lethal. miRoncol's test will allow people to take control of their health—and we are proud that our work is truly preventative healthcare."
miRoncol will be exhibiting at the annual MedTech Conference in Toronto, ON on October 15-17, 2024 in the Innovation Pavilion, Kiosk 26. miRoncol will launch its test from Canada. To learn more about how to reserve your spot with a guaranteed discount for pilot tests, visit miRoncol's reservation page.
About miRoncol
miRoncol, a medtech startup developing cancer early detection technologies, uses microRNA (miRNA) and machine learning for multi-cancer early-detection. miRoncol's test under development can identify at least 12 silently-growing solid tumor cancers at early and more treatable stages. The technology was invented by an award-winning cancer researcher Dr. Hai Hu who has decades of R&D experience in bioinformatics. The diagnostic model demonstrated incredible performance for cancer early detection. For more information, visit www.mironcol.com.
For more information, contact:
Erica Zeidenberg
Hot Tomato Marketing
PR for miRoncol
925.518.8159
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