ONtrack Biomedical develops a non-invasive urine test for prostate cancer that uses novel urinary protein biomarkers to support more informed biopsy decisions and enable active surveillance of indolent disease. The test targets over 95% sensitivity to minimize missed diagnoses while potentially reducing unnecessary prostate biopsies by up to 80%. This approach aims to improve patient quality of life and lower healthcare costs associated with invasive procedures.
Funding
Funding not disclosed
Founders
Product
Problem
Prostate cancer diagnosis typically relies on PSA blood tests followed by invasive tissue biopsies, many of which are unnecessary and cause patient discomfort, side effects, and significant healthcare costs. Patients with indolent, slow-growing tumors often undergo aggressive procedures that may not be clinically warranted, creating an urgent need for more accurate, non-invasive risk stratification tools.
Solution
ONtrack Biomedical offers a highly sensitive urine-based diagnostic test that detects novel urinary protein biomarkers for prostate cancer, enabling clinicians to make more informed decisions about whether a biopsy is necessary. The test combines a proprietary biomarker discovery platform with high-affinity monoclonal antibody generation to create immunoassays with demonstrated clinical performance in urine samples. With a sensitivity target above 95%, the test correctly identifies the vast majority of prostate cancer cases while reducing unnecessary biopsies by up to 80%. This non-invasive approach supports both initial diagnosis and active surveillance of indolent tumors, sparing patients from invasive procedures and their associated side effects while decreasing overall healthcare system burden.
Target Audience
Primary customers are urologists, prostate cancer screening programs, and healthcare systems seeking non-invasive tools to improve biopsy decision-making and reduce procedural burden. The test also serves men undergoing prostate cancer monitoring who could benefit from avoiding repeat invasive procedures.
Features
- Novel panel of 60 urinary protein biomarkers for prostate cancer with patent filed
- High-affinity monoclonal antibody-based immunoassay technology enabling highly sensitive and specific detection in urine
- Sensitivity target above 95% to minimize risk of missed cancer diagnoses
- Capability to reduce unnecessary prostate biopsies by up to 80%
- Biomarker discovery platform applicable to any disease beyond prostate cancer
- Designed to support both initial biopsy decision-making and active surveillance of indolent disease