Proteotype Awarded £1.5 Million Grant to Advance Early Cancer Detection with Innovative Enlighten® Test

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Oct 09, 2024, 11:07 ET

CAMBRIDGE, United Kingdom, Oct. 9, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Proteotype Diagnostics Ltd, in collaboration with the University of Southampton, has been awarded £1.5 million in funding from the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) and the Office for Life Sciences (OLS). The grant (NIHR207538) will support clinical validation of Proteotype's novel Enlighten® Multi-Cancer Early Detection test, a revolutionary approach to detecting early-stage cancers by focusing on the body's response to tumour development.

A Breakthrough in Early Cancer Detection

Co-founders Wesley Sukdao, Dr. Emma Yates, Professor Gonçalo Bernardes

While many cancer diagnostics rely on tumour-released signals, such as circulating tumour DNA, which is often only detectable once cancer has progressed, Enlighten® takes a different and potentially more powerful approach. It measures the host response to tumour development, tracking changing levels of proteins that occur even in the earliest stages of cancer.

Initial results have been promising. At AACR 2024, Proteotype reported a detection rate of 86% across multiple cancers, with a 0% false-positive rate and strong signals for early-stage cancers. The test now needs to be validated in a larger group of patients, enabling a statistically powered calculation of performance.

Dr. Emma Yates, co-founder and Chief Scientific Officer at Proteotype Diagnostics, said: "When cancer is discovered earlier, patients have more treatment options and better outcomes. Enlighten® is designed to disrupt, detecting cancer as early as the immune system, whilst remaining simple enough yet robust enough to fit existing care pathways and NHS needs."

Focused on Health Equity

Enlighten® will be trialled in real-world NHS settings with a specific focus on reaching higher-risk, underserved populations. The MODERNISED clinical study, led by Professor Andrew Davies from the University of Southampton Experimental Cancer Medicine Centre, will recruit 1,350 participants across Southern England, targeting cancers with high mortality rates in socio-economically deprived areas, such as colorectal, lung, and pancreatic cancers.

Wesley Sukdao, co-founder and CEO of Proteotype Diagnostics shared: "Growing up in poverty in South Africa, I lost three of my closest family members to cancers detected too late, all before I turned fourteen. To meaningfully impact health inequalities, cutting-edge cancer diagnostics must be both affordable and accessible. My team and I are focused to deliver on this mission."

Driving Cost-Effective Screening for the NHS

Enlighten® does not require highly expensive, specialised equipment or consumables. Affordable laboratory kits applied to crude patient plasma enable easy scale-up for mass screening. With low data requirements and results within 24-hours of sample measurement, it is well positioned for NHS-wide adoption.

MODERNISED will be accompanied by a Health Economic Evaluation to ensure it delivers clinical benefit and meets NHS financial goals.

A Critical Step Forward

This grant is part of a UK Government commitment of £22.5m to deliver the OLS Cancer Programme. The NIHR i4i-OLS call forms part of this programme. Over the next 24-months, Enlighten® will undergo clinical validation, bringing it closer to regulatory approval and potential integration into NHS cancer screening programs.

Professor Andrew Davies, Chief Investigator (MODERNISED), commented: "Enlighten is innovative, capturing changing levels of proteins released into the bloodstream even in the earliest cancer stages. If Enlighten performs well in MODERNISED, it could mark a step change in early cancer diagnostics."

About Proteotype Diagnostics Ltd

Proteotype is a pioneering diagnostics company dedicated to the development of advanced multi-cancer early detection and personalised medicine tests that measure the host response to tumour development. By leveraging cutting-edge technologies and comprehensive research, Proteotype aims to revolutionise cancer diagnostics and improve early detection, ultimately enhancing patient outcomes and survival rates.

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