A biotech startup producing rapid tests for cancer screening is teaming up with a Québec organization to grow its footprint in the province.
Montréal-based Avitia has partnered with private health clinic Genoscience to expand access to advanced cancer testing to more than 50 locations in Quebec. The collaboration will allow Avitia’s non-invasive liquid biopsy tests to detect cancers in more patients outside of the province’s largest cities.
“Most countries, and most provinces in Canada, have realized that anything—particularly in the post-COVID world—that can reduce the strain on hospital infrastructure is good.”
The biotech startup offers genetic screening for cancer mutations on-site through a blood test, eliminating the need for cancer centres to send out lab tests to third parties, which can be costly and time-consuming. Its software platform analyzes genetic screening data to pinpoint the presence of cancer in the blood, then uses machine learning to match patients to a list of potential treatments.
James Lumsdaine, Avitia’s co-founder and CEO, said in an interview with BetaKit that the partnership continues the startup’s growth plan across Canada to bring access to more patients.
“You’re keeping everything that directly impacts the patient within a very convenient radius from them, so that the impact on their life is minimized,” Lumsdaine said.
The liquid biopsy is a less invasive alternative to a tissue biopsy, which has traditionally been used to screen for cancers. Avitia uses next-generation sequencing (NGS) to detect cancer-causing mutations in a patient’s genome. The popularity of NGS in the cancer diagnostic space has grown over the past decade as the technique has become more affordable and efficient.
Avitia claims that its technology has been used in over 40,000 cancer diagnostic tests performed by its partners. Lumsdaine said Avitia’s liquid biopsy is only available for a fee through the private system. He claimed that some provinces in Canada are increasingly looking into reimbursing liquid biopsies in the public system.
However, Lumsdaine claimed the cost is lower than for some private competitors, and varies depending on a given partner’s location, logistics, and shipping. Lumsdaine declined to provide a number, but fellow Canadian company Mdetect provides lung cancer early detection tests for about $500 each. California-based biotech company Grail offers its Galleri cancer-screening blood test for $2,100 at a clinic in Toronto.
“We’re actively working to reduce barriers to reimbursement and ensure that cost never stands between a patient and the care they deserve,” said Genoscience CEO Martin Landry in a statement.
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Lumsdaine said Avitia is looking to improve its product offering by expanding its informatics platform, which processes the blood markers and makes recommendations. It’s also developing a specific product suited to help diagnose endometrial and uterine cancers, which disproportionately impact women of colour and those of lower socioeconomic backgrounds.
The financial burden of developing cancer and receiving treatment in Canada is $33,000 on average, including out-of-pocket expenses and lost income, according to the Canadian Cancer Society.
Preventative tests, including liquid biopsies, have the potential to catch cancers earlier and lead to better outcomes, according to the American Institute for Cancer Research. In Canada, the federal health minister ordered an overhaul of the national Task Force on Preventive Health Care, arguing that many guidelines on routine screening for common cancers were out of date.
“Most countries, and most provinces in Canada, have realized that anything—particularly in the post-COVID world—that can reduce the strain on hospital infrastructure is good,” Lumsdaine said.
Avitia launched its cancer diagnostic platform earlier this year—with the intellectual property assets of the now-defunct company Imagia Canexia Health—and raised $5 million CAD in seed funding. Canexia (formerly Contextual Genomics) was founded in 2012 to develop genetic screening assays for cancer treatment selection and disease monitoring. Canexia merged with Imagia, a digital medical solutions provider focused on data privacy, in 2022.
Lumsdaine declined to share revenue. He said that Avitia has a footprint in most of Canada and will be launching international partnerships in the Middle East and Southeast Asia before the end of this year, following a similar model to the Genoscience partnership.
Feature image courtesy Avitia via LinkedIn.