Proteotype Diagnostics Ltd, in partnership with the University of Southampton, has been awarded a £1.5 million grant from the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) and the Office for Life Sciences (OLS). This funding (NIHR207538) will drive the clinical validation of Proteotype’s Enlighten® Multi-Cancer Early Detection (MCED) test, a novel diagnostic tool focusing on the body’s immune response to early tumour development. Enlighten® aims to address the limitations of current cancer detection methods by enabling identification of cancer in its initial stages.
An Innovative Approach to Cancer Detection
Most conventional cancer diagnostics depend on signals released by tumours, such as circulating tumour DNA, which are often only identifiable once the disease has progressed. The Enlighten® test, however, offers a potentially transformative approach by measuring the body’s response to tumour development through protein level changes, which can occur even at the earliest stages of cancer.
At the AACR 2024 conference, Proteotype shared promising preliminary results, showing an 86% detection rate across multiple cancer types, a 0% false-positive rate, and a high level of sensitivity for early-stage cancers. This funding will allow Proteotype to expand testing to a larger patient cohort, providing statistically significant performance data.
Dr. Emma Yates, co-founder and Chief Scientific Officer at Proteotype, emphasised the importance of early detection: “Discovering cancer at an early stage offers patients more treatment options and significantly improves outcomes. Enlighten® is uniquely designed to detect cancer as early as the immune system reacts, aligning with existing NHS pathways and care standards.”
Promoting Health Equity in Cancer Screening
The Enlighten® test will be trialled in real-world NHS environments with a strong focus on reaching higher-risk and underserved populations. Under the leadership of Professor Andrew Davies from the University of Southampton’s Experimental Cancer Medicine Centre, the MODERNISED clinical study plans to enrol 1,350 participants throughout Southern England. This study will concentrate on cancers with high mortality rates, particularly in socio-economically disadvantaged areas, including colorectal, lung, and pancreatic cancers.
Wesley Sukdao, co-founder and CEO of Proteotype, shared his personal commitment to reducing health inequalities: “Growing up in poverty in South Africa, I lost three family members to cancers that were diagnosed too late. If cancer diagnostics are to impact health inequalities, they must be affordable and accessible. My team and I are dedicated to this mission.”
Cost-Effective Screening for NHS Integration
Enlighten® is designed for cost-effective scalability within the NHS. Unlike other cancer diagnostics requiring specialised equipment, the Enlighten® test can use affordable laboratory kits with simple plasma samples, allowing for easier, widespread implementation. This approach is expected to streamline testing, delivering results within 24 hours and reducing the financial burden on the NHS.
A comprehensive Health Economic Evaluation will accompany the MODERNISED study to ensure the test provides clinical value while meeting NHS budget requirements.
The Road Ahead
This grant is part of a broader £22.5 million UK Government investment in the OLS Cancer Programme. Over the next two years, the Enlighten® test will undergo extensive clinical validation, bringing it closer to regulatory approval and potential inclusion in NHS cancer screening programmes.
Professor Andrew Davies, Chief Investigator for MODERNISED, highlighted the test’s potential: Enlighten® is a remarkable innovation that captures protein changes in the bloodstream, indicative of cancer in its earliest stages. If the MODERNISED trial proves successful, Enlighten® may represent a major breakthrough in the early detection of cancer.