Exact Sciences Corp. reported on data showing high sensitivity and specificity for the non-endoscopic Oncoguard Esophagus test that is currently in development for the detection of esophageal adenocarcinoma (EAC) and its precursors, including Barrett’s esophagus.
Why cancer? The mechanisms that drive and maintain tumorigenesis are still a mystery. This is a play with different actors who have different roles in several contexts. One of these scenarios is represented by genetic and epigenetic conditions that determine the early trajectories of cancer cells. In addition, different mechanisms will control phenotypes and states that can take one or another direction toward cancer.
Proteomics International Pty Ltd has developed a new blood-based diagnostic test called the Promarkereso that identifies patients with esophageal adenocarcinoma as well as patients with a pre-malignant condition called Barrett’s esophagus that can arise from chronic acid reflux.
Medtronic plc has announced a plan by Cosmo Pharmaceuticals NV and Nvidia Inc. to integrate Nvidia's artificial intelligence (AI) technologies into Medtonic’s GI Genius intelligent endoscopy module. GI Genius is designed to host multiple AI algorithms as the first U.S. FDA-cleared, AI-assisted colonoscopy imaging tool for detecting polyps that can lead to colorectal cancer.
Previse, formerly known as Capsulomics Inc., raised $3 million in seed financing to support the launch of its first laboratory-developed test (LDT), Esopredict. The precision medicine test is designed to detect Barrett’s esophagus (BE) and predict which BE patients will progress to esophageal cancer.
Esophageal cancer is often referred to as the “silent killer” because few people show any symptoms until after the cancer has spread. If localized, five-year survival rate is 46%, but that drops to just 5% when malignancy has reached distant parts of the body.
A check up by Khosla Ventures determined that Docbot Inc. was healthy enough for the prominent biotech investor to take the lead in a $4 million series A round. The new funds bring the artificial intelligence company to a total of $8.5 million in capital raised to date. Other participants included Bold Capital Partners, Collaborative Fund and Boutique Venture Partners.
The screening of at-risk patients for Barrett’s esophagus, a precursor to esophageal cancer, has long been a goal for health systems. Currently, most patients with the condition remain undiagnosed, and more than 90% of individuals are identified after it has progressed into esophageal cancer via endoscopy, according to a 2018 paper in Digestive Diseases and Sciences.