Turning Cancer Cells Against Themselves
Image credit: Adobe Stock
Company Overview
Founded: June 2018
Location: Redwood City, CA
Mission: Make cancer a benign experience
Technology
Programmable genetic constructs
Activate only in cancer cells
Force cancer cells to self-reveal and self-destruct
Key People
Cyriac Roeding
Co-founder & CEO
Dr. Sam Gambhir
Co-founder
David Suhy
Chief Scientific Officer
Funding & Recognition
- $40 million Series A led by Khosla Ventures
- Investors include Andreessen Horowitz, Perceptive Advisors, Casdin Capital, Sands Capital, Marc Benioff
- World Economic Forum Global Innovator
- Fast Company's 2021 World Changing Ideas
Innovative Approach
- Inject bioengineered DNA into the body
- DNA enters cancer cells, forcing production of synthetic biomarkers
- Detect biomarkers through breath or blood tests
- Use radioactive tracer to make tumors visible in scans
Applications & Status
Applications: Diagnostic monitoring, pre-treatment scans, surgical guidance, post-treatment monitoring
Status: Successful trials in mice and dogs; human trials began in 2021