The startup develops a diagnostic kit that utilizes prognostic testing to accurately assess the risk and progression of melanoma in patients at early AJCC Stage I and Stage II. This technology enables targeted treatment stratification and reduces unnecessary patient surveillance, ultimately alleviating psychological stress for patients and saving health authorities significant costs.
Funding
$8.4M raised to dateRaised to date based on public sources. This may differ from the amount the company actually raised and is based only on what is publicly available on the internet.
NEFounders
Product
Problem
Current methods for assessing early-stage melanoma risk often treat all patients similarly, despite the fact that only a small percentage of these melanomas will metastasize. This can lead to unnecessary follow-up procedures and increased anxiety for patients who are at low risk of disease progression.
Solution
AMLo Biosciences offers AMBLor, a histopathological test that improves risk stratification for patients with non-ulcerated Stage I and II melanomas. AMBLor identifies melanomas with a low risk of progression by detecting the presence of two protein markers, AMBRA1 and loricrin, in the epidermis overlying the tumor. The absence of both markers indicates a higher risk. This prognostic information enables clinicians to personalize patient management, potentially reducing the frequency of follow-up visits and sentinel lymph node biopsies for low-risk individuals, while focusing resources on patients with the greatest clinical need.
Target Audience
The primary audience includes pathologists, dermatologists, and oncologists involved in the diagnosis and management of early-stage melanoma, as well as healthcare systems seeking to optimize resource allocation in melanoma care.
Features
- IHC test based on the expression of AMBRA1 and loricrin protein markers in melanoma tissue samples
- Determines the risk of metastasis in non-ulcerated AJCC Stage I and II melanomas
- High negative predictive value (NPV) of 96.5% in validation studies, demonstrating accuracy in identifying low-risk tumors
- Integrates into existing histopathological workflows with minimal training or additional equipment
- Results provide clinicians with prognostic information to personalize patient management and optimize resource allocation
- CPD-accredited e-learning program available for histopathologists
- Can be performed on shave and punch biopsies using a normal skin positive control