New ovarian cancer test combines AI and Mass Spec in an effort to
better identify cancerous ovarian tumors from benign ones through a
simple blood draw
CHICAGO & REDWOOD CITY, Calif.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–#AI–InterVenn BioSciences, a life sciences and technology company developing
an AI-driven mass spectrometry platform, announced today the first
patients have been enrolled in a new clinical trial to better
distinguish benign from malignant ovarian masses through a simple blood
test. The VOCAL test is a liquid biopsy that combines mass spectrometry
and artificial intelligence and machine learning to analyze
tumor-associated changes in circulating glycoproteins. The announcement
was made at the 2019 ASCO® Annual Meeting in Chicago.
Ovarian cancer ranks fifth in cancer deaths among women, accounting for
more deaths than any other cancer of the female reproductive system,
according to the American Cancer Society. In the U.S., it is estimated
about 22,530 women will receive a new diagnosis of ovarian cancer in
2019, and more than 60 percent of these women will die from ovarian
cancer. The prospective, international, multi-center, observational
study will collect de-identified samples and data from 1,200 women, in
both the United States and abroad, in order to validate ovarian
cancer-specific glycoproteomic signatures in the blood based on
histologically confirmed malignancy status of the mass. The primary
endpoint will evaluate predictive values of the VOCAL test, with a
secondary outcome analyzing the relationship between glycoproteins and
survival rates among women with ovarian cancer.
“There is so little we understand about ovarian cancer that the primary
course of treatment for women with a tumor in their ovaries is the
partial or total removal of the organs and sometimes even the uterus,”
said Aldo Carrascoso, CEO of InterVenn BioSciences. “Through VOCAL, we
hope to help physicians and patients better select a course of treatment
most appropriate for their disease through an easy blood test that
results in an improved quality of life.”
Glycoproteomics, an emerging field combining proteomics and glycomics,
can help with better biomarker and target discovery but produces an
enormous amount of data that historically takes months to fully analyze
and is often difficult to reproduce. By leveraging mass spectrometry,
hi-res characterization of post-translational modifications, and
artificial intelligence, InterVenn streamlines and expedites this
process and ensures that any variability in the workflow–from the
sample collection, processing, and all the way to tryptic digestion– is
minimized and the results are reproducible.
In December 2018, InterVenn secured an institutional investment of $9.4
million led by seasoned biotech investor Genoa Ventures, with
participation from True Ventures, Amplify Partners, Boost VC, and Prado
SV. For more information on the VOCAL test and the ongoing trial, please
visit https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT03837327.
About InterVenn BioSciences
InterVenn BioSciences aims to find solutions for the most challenging
health problems. InterVenn’s approach combines the analysis of
glycoproteomics using mass spectrometry with data science and artificial
intelligence to quickly identify potentially actionable and clinically
relevant information for conditions including cancers, autoimmunity,
fibrosis, and neurodegeneration. The company is headquartered in Redwood
City, California. For more information, please visit https://intervenn.bio
or connect with us on LinkedIn.
Contacts
Media Contact:
Andrea Vuturo
(415) 689-8414
intervenn@panormus.us