awarded €1.9M by Biotech Booster to deliver chemotherapy response prediction for ovarian cancer patients
Summary
VitroScan has developed ChemoPredict, a predictive tumor testing service that revolutionizes treatment options for ovarian cancer patients. The European Union has the highest incidence of this cancer worldwide, which translates to the high economic burden of over 2.5 billion Euros in direct healthcare costs.Although treatments are available, 30% of patients have a tumor that does not respond to the standard primary therapy of carboplatin + paclitaxel and move on to an advanced stage. In total, about 70% of ovarian cancer patients relapse within three years of treatment and are then treated with a range of second- and third-line therapies.The high-rate disease progression, variable treatment success, large economic burden, as well as the few predictive biomarkers for this tumor type make ovarian cancer a prime candidate for developing reliable predictive tumor testing. Knowledge of tumor sensitivity will allow both doctors and patients to make better informed treatment decisions and avoid unnecessary side effects and loss of quality of life. It will also open up avenues for biopharmaceutical testing of potential new treatments.Biotech Boosters funding will enable VitroScan to leverage the value of know-how, scientific and clinical evidence, and existing partnerships with ovarian cancer clinical experts from Leiden University Medical Center (LUMC) and Radboud University Medical Center (Radboudumc), to prepare for clinical implementation and make sure the service meets the quality and regulatory standards that are required for bringing it to patients.About VitroScan VitroScan is a Dutch biotech company based at the Leiden Bio Science Park and funded by angel investors, Libertatis Ergo Holding B.V. (LEH), and through multiple grants in consortia.