As we recognise World Cancer Day, we are shining a light on some truly innovative startups that are working in the fight against cancer.

52North

Cambridge-based 52North was founded in 2018, and is dedicated to transforming urgent care pathways in oncology. Its mission is to develop affordable, cutting-edge technology that brings healthcare closer to patients.

The company’s flagship product, Neutrocheck, is a point-of-care medical device and app designed for use by patients with cancer outside of hospital settings. It monitors the risk of neutropenia or neutropenic sepsis, which are potentially life-threatening complications of chemotherapy. This reduces unnecessary visits to A&E and antibiotic treatment for patients not at-risk, whilst identifying at-risk patients earlier on, enabling them to be treated more quickly. 52North aims to improve patient outcomes and health equity, while also alleviating pressures on healthcare systems.

Dotplot

Dotplot was founded in 2022 by Debra Babalola and Shefali Bohra during their Master’s programme Innovation Design Engineering (MA/MSc) at Royal College of Art & Imperial College London. The startup has developed an at-home breast health monitoring tool to assist women in performing regular self-checks with confidence.

The system is made up of a handheld device that is paired with a mobile app that guides users through monthly self-examinations, creating a personalised map of the torso and tracking changes in breast tissue density over time. This approach aims to facilitate the early detection of breast cancer by flagging any abnormalities for further medical evaluation.

Noze

Noze is a Canadian startup that specialises in breath-based diagnostics. The company has developed DiagNoze, a handheld breathalyser that uses digital odour perception technology to detect disease biomarkers in exhaled breath. The device aims to provide real-time detection of serious illnesses, including cancers and infectious diseases, without the need for drawing blood and lab equipment.

Noze’s technology is built upon sensors that have been developed with exclusively licensed NASA technology, enabling the device to accurately detect and identify odours in real-world settings. By leveraging this technology, Noze aims to improve patient outcomes through early diagnosis and timely treatment, ultimately enhancing global health.

Papcup

Papcup is a pioneering startup that has developed a safe, non-invasive method that will revolutionise cervical cancer screening. The startup was founded by Sânziana Foia, a PhD student at Imperial College London, in 2023. Papcup has developed a non-invasive, at-home testing device that is designed to detect high-risk human papillomavirus (HPV) strains in menstrual blood.

The Papcup device allows users to collect a sample from a tampon, pad, or menstrual cup, and is then analysed by the device’s biosensors. Results are available within 15 minutes, eliminating the need for traditional smear tests, and addressing barriers like discomfort and embarrassment that often deter people from attending cervical screening appointments.

Prothea Technologies

Prothea Technologies is on a mission to streamline lung cancer diagnosis and treatment into a single hospital visit. The company is developing a medical device consisting of a Microendoscope combined with an Image Processing System, which enhances visualisation by providing in situ analysis of lesion structure at a molecular level.

Prothea also has further R&D planned to develop a laser ablation catheter for the treatment of lesions immediately following visualisation and biopsy. The integration of these two systems (real-time imaging and ablation) will streamline biopsy and treatment into a single hospital visit, reducing time-to-treat from weeks to minutes, thereby relieving hospital pressures and improving patient outcomes.

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