Cancer, one of the most life-threatening diseases, is expected to affect more than 35 million people worldwide in 2050, with an estimated 20 million more cases in 2022, according to the World Health Organization.77 % increasing. There are 53.5 million cancer survivors worldwide, and cancer recurrence rates vary between 15% and 100%, depending on the type and stage of cancer and each patient's circumstances. Nevertheless, the world currently lacks effective diagnostic solutions to curb recurrence.
OneCell Diagnostics is a genomics-based startup in precision oncology that aims to help cancer survivors limit recurrence through its proprietary cell biopsy technology.
The startup, which serves nearly 10,000 patients in India and is looking to replicate its early success in India in the U.S., has an in-house blood cell system that helps detect cancer recurrence through circulating tumor cells. Developed a biopsies-based test. This is different from widely used cancer detection methods such as PET CT scans, MRI, and tissue-based diagnostics.
OneCell secured IP to capture and isolate circulating tumor cells from a 10 ml blood draw. A phlebotomist visits the patient's home and collects the blood in two tubes. one for detecting circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) and the other for detecting circulating tumor cells. These tubes are sent to a nearby OnCell lab, where blood samples are analyzed using a combination of scientific methods and AI to predict recurrence. This is called True-Single-Cell-Multi-omics. The startup combines testing the DNA of circulating tumor cells with their RNA and cell surface proteins.
This will provide at least 100 times more information than current liquid biopsy tests, which primarily focus on cell-free DNA and ctDNA, allowing for better diagnosis, said co-founder and CEO Mohan Uttarwar. I am.
The startup has also developed an app called iCare. It acts as a precision oncology console that helps oncologists interpret test reports using AI and machine learning. “This is an innovation at the intersection of very deep science, cell science, and data science, so it's really a perfect storm,” Uttawar told TechCrunch.
Although oncologists have medical knowledge, they are not sufficiently trained in precision oncology, he said. OneCell's iCare comes to the rescue. “Our goal is to have precision oncology adapted by every oncologist in every hospital around the world,” he asserted.
Using antibodies, OneCell has developed a proprietary glass bead with affinity for cancer cells. This helps filter circulating tumor cells from a patient's blood sample.
The startup offers biopsy tests for pan-cancer analysis of all solid tumors, including breast, lung, and colon cancers. However, we intentionally avoid first-time cancer patients due to regulatory restrictions.
Companies in this space fall into the FDA's breakthrough category, which requires premarket approval. India has no such restrictions. Nevertheless, OneCell has decided to specifically target the relapse patient market as it aims to launch in the US.
“The science and technology is very strong and it really works, but our business side has decided not to go into that very risky area,” Uttawal said.
The startup's competitors include Guardant Health, Natera, and various diagnostic companies in India. But Uttarwar told TechCrunch that diagnostic accuracy and affordability, at one-fifth the price of competitors, set the company apart.
Founded in 2021, OneCell operates on a B2B2C model, offering biopsy tests to patients through oncologists and hospitals in India. The company has an office in Mumbai, a city in western India, a research center in Pune, and employs 120 people. The company has 24 employees in the U.S., including those at its Silicon Valley research and development facility.
The startup plans to launch operations in the US after more than two-and-a-half years in India, working with biotech and biopharmaceutical companies. The company has developed a test called OncoIndx Ikon to detect and analyze CTCs. The test will be available in the U.S. through local biomarker partners.
With early adoption in India, one of the countries most affected by cancer, OneCell will strengthen its analytics and AI systems to help deploy top-tier hospitals in India, including state-run institutions such as the All India Institute. We were able to obtain sufficient data. Medicine, private hospitals Apollo Hospital, Fortis Hospital, Tata Memorial Hospital, etc. We also have strategic academic partners including Harvard Medical School, Stanford University, and the University of Georgia.
OneCell has raised $16 million in an oversubscribed Series A round led by Celesta Capital. Tenacity Ventures, Cedars Sinai, Eragon, and Singularity Ventures also participated in the round. Additionally, Nobel Prize winner James Rothman has been added to the board of directors.
Uttawal said the new funding will help Onecell expand into the U.S. and expand its operations in India.
The startup plans to serve more than 1,000 oncologists and 1 million patients in the near future.