Most cancers, one of the crucial life-threatening illnesses, is projected to have an effect on over 35 million folks worldwide in 2050 — 77% greater than the estimated 20 million circumstances in 2022, based on the World Well being Group. Most cancers survivors globally reached 53.5 million, and the reoccurrence price of the illness varies between 15 and 100%, relying on the most cancers kind and stage and every affected person’s state of affairs. Regardless of this, the world at present lacks efficient options for diagnoses to assist curb recurrence.
Enter OneCell Diagnostics, a genomics-based startup in precision oncology, that goals to assist most cancers survivors restrict reoccurrence cases by means of its proprietary cell biopsy expertise.
The startup, which has served almost 10,000 sufferers in India and is trying to replicate its early Indian success within the U.S., has developed its in-house blood-based biopsy testing that helps detect most cancers’s reoccurrence by means of circulating tumor cells. That is not like the extensively used most cancers detection strategies, together with PET CT scan, MRI, and tissue-based prognosis.
OneCell has secured an IP to seize and isolate the circulating tumor cell from a 10ml blood draw. A phlebotomist visits the affected person’s house to gather the blood drawn in two tubes: one for detecting circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) and the opposite for detecting circulating tumor cells. These tubes are then despatched to a close-by OnCell lab, the place the blood pattern goes by means of an evaluation utilizing a mix of scientific methods and AI to foretell reoccurrence, which it calls True-Single-Cell-Multi-omics. The startup combines the circulating tumor cell-DNA with its RNA and cell floor protein testing.
This helps present higher prognosis, with a minimum of 100 occasions extra info than the present liquid biopsy testing, which largely revolves round cell-free DNA and ctDNA, mentioned co-founder and CEO Mohan Uttarwar.
The startup has additionally developed an app known as iCare, which works as a precision oncology console to assist oncologists interpret take a look at stories utilizing AI and machine studying. “It’s the innovation on the intersection of very deep science, the cell science, and knowledge science, and that could be a excellent storm,” Uttarwar advised TechCrunch.
Whereas oncologists have the medical information, they don’t seem to be well-trained in precision oncology, he mentioned. OneCell’s iCare provides a serving to hand. “Our aim is that each oncologist in each hospital in each nook of the world ought to adapt precision oncology,” he asserted.
OneCell has developed a proprietary glass bead that makes use of antibodies and has an affinity towards most cancers cells. This helps filter circulating tumor cells from the affected person’s blood pattern.
The startup gives its biopsy testing for pan-cancer evaluation for all strong tumors, together with breast, lung, and colon cancers. Nonetheless, it intentionally avoids first-time most cancers sufferers as a result of regulatory restrictions.
Firms in that area are categorised below FDA’s breakthrough class, which requires pre-market approvals. India doesn’t have any such restrictions. Nonetheless, since OneCell goals to launch within the U.S., it selected to focus on particularly the reoccurrence affected person market.
“Science and expertise are fairly highly effective and do work, however the enterprise facet of us have determined to not enter that very high-risk space,” Uttarwar mentioned.
The startup contains Guardant Well being and Natera, in addition to numerous Indian diagnostic corporations, amongst its opponents. Nonetheless, Uttarwar advised TechCrunch the precision in prognosis and affordability, which is one-fifth the worth the competitors prices, makes it stand aside.
Based in 2021, OneCell operates below the B2B2C mannequin, providing its biopsy testing to sufferers by means of oncologists and hospitals in India. It has an workplace in India’s western metropolis of Mumbai and a lab in Pune, with a headcount of 120 folks. It additionally has 24 workers within the U.S., together with these in its R&D facility in Silicon Valley.
The startup plans to begin its enterprise within the U.S. after over 2.5 years of serving India by working with biotech and biopharma corporations. It has developed the take a look at known as OncoIndx Ikon to detect and analyze CTCs, which will likely be obtainable within the U.S. by means of its native biomarker companions.
The early launch in India, one of many important cancer-affected international locations, has helped OneCell achieve sufficient knowledge to bolster its analytics and AI system and convey a number of the prime Indian hospitals on board, together with state-run institutes resembling All India Institute Of Medical Sciences in addition to personal hospitals Apollo, Fortis, and Tata Memorial Hospital. It additionally has strategic tutorial companions, together with Harvard Medical College, Stanford College, and College of Georgia.
OneCell has raised $16 million in an oversubscribed Sequence A spherical led by Celesta Capital. The spherical additionally noticed participation from Tenacity Ventures, Cedars Sinai, Eragon, and Singularity Ventures. Moreover, it has added Nobel Laureate James Rothman to the board.
The recent capital will assist OneCell increase into the U.S. and scale its enterprise in India, Uttarwar mentioned.
The startup initiatives to succeed in over 1,000 oncologists and one million sufferers within the close to time period.
