Gene Sequencing Company Illumina Bets On Early Detection Of Cancer Through Blood Test Called Liquid Biopsy
Ilumina, world's largest DNA sequencing company takes its bets on diagnosing cancer with a blood test called 'liquid biopsy' before symptoms fully manifest in people.
The firm which is based in San Diego, launches a spinoff company called 'Grail' on Sunday. According to a report by MIT Technology Review, the company is expected to reach the market by 2019, and would be offered possibly through a network of testing centers in the states.
Dr. Richard Klausner, former director of the National Cancer Institute and new member of Grail's board of directors said that their plan is to use Illumina's state-of-the-art genetic sequencing technology to look for genetic material from peoples' blood long before any evidence of cancer. shows up. "The holy grail in oncology has been the search for biomarkers that could reliably signal the presence of cancer at an early stage," Klausner said.
The startup has raised more than $100 million from Ilumina as well some big names in investing and cancer research are signing on for this medical enterprise. Behind the investment breakthrough according to NBC News include Amazon founder Jeff Bezo's Bezos Expeditions, Microsoft's Bill Gates and Sutter Hill Ventures.
On the advisory board are Klausner, Dr. Jose Baselga, physician in chief at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center and American Association for Cancer Research president; and director of the Oregon Health & Science University Dr. Brian Druker.
Jay Flatley, Illumina's chief executive and chairman of Grail had his full hopes on the project and that it might be finally the medical field's turning point in the war against cancer. He added that their primary aim is to massively decrease cancer mortality though detection of the disease during the possibly earliest and curable stage.
Meanwhile, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has been reportedly skeptical of blood screening tests that claim diagnosis of diseases on people prior symptoms.
It can be recalled in some reports back in September last year, that the FDA slapped Pathway Genomics' "liquid biopsy" test which is quite similar to what Grail proposes; as such method "may harm the public health" since they were not able to apply for proper regulatory approval.
