Johns Hopkins technology that integrates early detection of cancer into routine medical care receives

An innovative blood test developed by Johns Hopkins researchers integrating cancer detection into routine medical care will be developed by a new company that has made the largest external investment ever made by a licensee in the field. Johns Hopkins technology.

CancerSEEK, a liquid biopsy test designed to detect several types of cancer at earlier stages of the disease, will be developed by Thrive.EarlierDetection Corp., a new company that today launched Series A funding. $ 110 million. Thrive will have offices in Mbadachusetts and Baltimore and will carry out its research and development work in the Ashland Building, built in 1812, which is part of the Johns Hopkins Innovation Cluster on the campus. East Baltimore. Third Rock Ventures, a Boston-based venture capital firm, led the financing.

In addition to CancerSEEK technology, Johns Hopkins has also licensed Thrive, a core DNA sequencing technology, Safe-SeqS, and a suite of complementary biomarker technologies.

"This is a pivotal moment in the development of Johns Hopkins' biotech ecosystem," said Christy Wyskiel, director of Johns Hopkins Technology Ventures, the division of the university that grants technology licenses and supports new university businesses. "Johns Hopkins researchers are at the forefront of technological advancements in cancer screening, making Baltimore fertile ground for commercializing these discoveries as breakthrough products for healthcare."

CancerSEEK examines genomic mutations of circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) and cancer-badociated plasma protein markers to identify abnormalities common to several cancers. CancerSEEK has received the US Food and Drug Administration's groundbreaking device designation for the detection of genetic mutations and proteins badociated with pancreatic and ovarian cancers.

In a retrospective study of several types of cancer published in Science in 2018, it has been shown that CancerSEEK has a specificity greater than 99% and a sensitivity ranging from 69% to 98% for the detection of five types of cancer – ovary, liver, stomach, pancreas and esophagus – for which no test of Screening was available. for individuals at medium risk.

To complete colonoscopy, mammography and other screening tools, CancerSEEK is designed to be used in routine medical care, with the goal of identifying several types of cancer at earlier stages. To help physicians and patients to act on the test results, Thrive aims to provide an integrated service that provides support for interpretation of results, diagnostic tests, and advice for additional clinical care, as appropriate. .

"Over the last 30 years, we have made great strides in understanding how cancer works, and now, by combining this knowledge with the latest molecular testing technologies, it has been possible to develop a simple blood test for the detection of cancer. Many relatively early cancers include Bert Vogelstein, Clayton Professor of Oncology at the Johns Hopkins Comprehensive Cancer Center, a researcher at the Howard Hughes Medical Institute, and co-director of the Ludwig Center of Johns Hopkins, one of the inventors of CancerSEEK and its founding co-scientist. "We envision a future where routine preventative care includes a blood test for cancer, just as patients are now routinely screened for the early stages of heart disease. Such a test does not have to be a frightening, expensive or complicated process. We know that if cancer is detected early enough, it can often be cured. "

Kenneth W. Kinzler, professor of oncology and co-director of the Ludwig Center with Vogelstein; and Nickolas Papadopoulos, expert in cancer diagnostics and professor of oncology and pathology. Kinzler, Papadopolous and Vogelstein are among the founders of Personal Genome Diagnostics (PGDx), another Johns Hopkins-derived product that provides advanced genome testing products and services.

"The complete John Smith Hopkins Kimmel Cancer Center has been a leader in cancer research and treatment for more than 45 years," said Paul Rothman, Executive Director of Johns Hopkins Medicine and Vice President of Medicine at the Johns Hopkins Cancer Center. Johns Hopkins University. "I am delighted to see that the work of our researchers has been confirmed by this opportunity, which hopefully will lead to more breakthroughs in the treatment of cancer."

A prospective study on CancerSEEK in healthy individuals, the DETECT study, is already underway to better understand its performance and how to implement its results in patient care. The study is led by researchers from the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, in partnership with Geisinger and Thrive. The study registration is complete and the data is being badyzed.

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Conflict of interest. Under a license agreement between The Johns Hopkins University and Thrive, the University and Vogelstein, Kinzler and Papadopoulos are entitled to a share of royalties on future sales of products sold by Thrive. The Johns Hopkins University and Vogelstein, Kinzler and Papadopoulos also hold shares in Thrive.