Cancer

OncoSwab Co. has developed a simple noninvasive nasal fluid test that analyzes small amounts of nasal fluid (<0.5mL) obtained via a swab for the presence of a wide array of genetic markers. Their first use case is early detection of lung Cancer. Presently, up to 90% of the lung biopsies ordered for patients after imaging are negative for cancer, and newer blood-based screening tests require cancer cells to enter the bloodstream (limited in the early stage of lung cancer). Oncoswab’s test delivers accurate results fast (days) to reduce the need to order unnecessary biopsies and preliminary tests of nasal fluid from early-stage lung cancer patients detect up to 20x higher DNA concentrations than in the equivalent volume of blood. Oncoswab’s test is easy to administer without specialized medical personnel, improving access and closing the gap between lung cancer detection and first intervention.

Orbits Oncology offers a deep learning solution to predict how cancer patients respond to therapies through advanced analysis of complex lab tumor models, called organoids. The platform uses lab organoid drug screening data and real-world patient data as inputs for our proprietary AI algorithms to build predictive patient models. The team has published proof-of-concept data for pancreatic cancer, and are developing a second model for rectal cancer.

Eigen Therapeutics specializes in developing "priming therapies" that upregulate specific antigens in cancer cells to improve the effectiveness of antigen-directed treatments (e.g., ADCs; antibody-drug conjugates). The problem being solved is tumor heterogeneity. Antigen-directed cancer therapies, ADCs and radioligand therapies (RLTs), sometimes fail in patients due to the heterogeneous expression of the target that they're designed to bind. Eigen's proprietary software + robotics platform identifies compounds with the potential to increase the expression of the receptors targeted by Antigen-directed cancer therapies, which improves the probability cancer cells express these receptors. The result is improved efficacy and reduced dosing required to elicit a response, improving safety. Eigen's lead primer demonstrates a 2x increase in a receptor of interest leading to a 20x increase in the cancer-killing ability of the associated antigen-directed therapy.

Stoked Bio is a full-stack drug discovery, development, and validation company focused on discovering small molecules for cancers that are otherwise resistant to current treatments. A key differentiator is their exclusive access to multiple proprietary AI datasets trained on proprietary disease-specific phenotypic and genotypic data generated in their wet lab, which allows for the rapid identification and synthesis of promising compounds with proven manufacturability. Stoked Bio's first candidate, a small molecule for recurrent glioblastoma, demonstrates selective killing of target cancer cells in cell culture.

TippingPoint Biosciences has developed a proprietary small molecule screening platform aimed at treating diseases related to dysfunctional DNA packaging (chromatin). The platform uses a novel method of condensate biology to overcome a major hurdle and effectively model chromatin behavior outside of the body, which unlocks the ability to discover and screen drugs for chromatin-related diseases that spare healthy cells. TippingPoint Biosciences both develops their own therapies and provides pharmaceutical companies access to a platform that enhances the potential for discovering first-in-class drugs, offering a competitive edge in drug development.

Nanostics Inc. has developed ClarityDX Prostate, a machine-learning-enabled biomarker-based test for prostate cancer screening in men aged 40 to 70. The test stands out for its ease of integration into existing clinical workflows worldwide, providing fast and more accurate (3-4x) results at a lower cost (it does not require additional procedures or visits). As of late 2023, the test is already being sold to patients. The company has additional IP around the analysis of extracellular vesicles in blood samples to identify biomarkers across a range of cancers.

Absco Therapeutics (AbscoTx) has developed an image-guided, injectable intratumoral drug delivery platform designed to modify the tumor microenvironment and train the immune system to combat solid tumors, with an initial focus on cervical cancer due to promising clinical proof of concept with the lead API in that setting. The company uses a proprietary thermoresponsive polymer with an additive that enables real-time imaging for precise delivery. The platform’s ability to solidify within the tumor for controlled, long-term drug release, combined with real-time confirmation of accurate placement, distinguishes it from previous intratumoral therapies that have struggled with drug leakage and the need for repeat injections.

Motley Bio leverages its proprietary multi-omic sequencing technology to simultaneously profile DNA, RNA, and proteins (multi-omics) with a single assay producing a single readout, targeting applications in drug discovery, biomarker identification, and early cancer detection for biotech and pharmaceutical companies. The company sets itself apart by providing richer, more comprehensive data (single assay instead of multiple individual assays) at a lower cost and with lower internal data variability, while also demonstrating higher sensitivity and specificity for detecting mutations than competitors. A key distinguishing feature is its ability to generate this detailed multi-omic data from small amounts of patient samples, making it particularly valuable for early disease detection and drug development.

Humane Genomics is developing oncolytic viruses with a modular synthetic biology platform to create targeted cancer therapies for oncologists and patients. Their key differentiation lies in overcoming the traditional tradeoff between therapeutic potency and selectivity in oncolytic viruses by employing a novel two-factor authentication mechanism for selectivity (cancer-specific receptors for honing, cancer-specific proteins for activation). They maximize efficiency by using a lytic RNA virus. A single systemic injection (IP) of their first product successfully treated Hep3B subcutaneous tumors in an immunodeficient mouse model.

9Bio Therapeutics leverages its AI-guided structural biology platform to design tumor-specific, conditionally active cancer therapeutics. The platform distinguishes itself by modeling mutated cancer-causing proteins under the unique conditions of the tumor microenvironment (e.g., acidic pH), enhancing the cancer-specificity of engineered therapeutics by limiting the binding potential in healthy cell conditions. Initially, 9Bio focuses on hard-to-treat targets such as anti-PDL1, which is being developed as an antibody-drug conjugate (ADC), and CD44v6, a previously tested ADC that showed clinical efficacy but was discontinued due to toxicity. 9Bio’s approach improves safety and efficacy through cancer-cell specificity, and also reduces development costs, offering a competitive edge in the immuno-oncology space.

DoriNano has developed a method to precisely space multiple different biological payloads at the nanoscale on a delivery vehicle (DNA Origami). Preclinical evidence from the DoriNano team demonstrates that nanoscale difference in the spacing of payloads impacts receptor binding affinity and downstream activity, leading to enhanced immune responses while reducing required dosages by 10-100 fold compared to traditional methods and opening up an entirely new modality for tuning drug efficacy. DoriNano is initially focusing on the development of a cancer vaccine for head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) with plans to expand to other cancer types.