PI and Preora Healthcare partner to bring novel detection technology to cancer diagnostic market

Planet Innovation today announced a partnership with Preora Healthcare Inc., pioneers in the detection of early-stage cancers, to bring to market a series of novel, low-cost, minimally invasive, highly accurate and easy-to-use cancer screening tests.

Planet Innovation and Preora Healthcare will collaborate in the development and commercialization of Preora’s sample-preparation technologies, and its proprietary Partial Wave Spectroscopy (PWS) Nanocytology™ platform, which offers sensitivity and specificity rates that can enable effective screening in the primary care setting. PWS Nanocytology™ is a ground-breaking technology from Dr. Vadim Backman’s laboratory at Northwestern University.

The sample preparation technologies utilize Preora’s patented core technology to expedite sample triage and improve sample preservation, which enables precision visualization via the PWS Nanocytology™ Fixed Cell Imaging solution. The speed and small footprint of the core technology, coupled with its high-quality output, has demonstrated utility beyond PWS Nanocytology™.

Anthony White, Vice President of Venture Business Development at Planet Innovation, commented, “We see tremendous opportunity for the sample prep technology in underserved segments of the cytology market. We are confident that this solution will reduce complexity and improve workflow.”

“Planet Innovation’s track record in the development and commercialization of breakthrough diagnostic products is extraordinary,” said Preora President and CEO, John W. Hart. “Our collaboration spans research, design, early-stage manufacturing and commercial strategy. Together our companies plan to revolutionize how cancer screening is performed around the world, leading to more people surviving cancer.”

Preora’s PWS Nanocytology™ imaging platform detects intracellular structural changes of the chromatin and will initially be commercialized as a first-tier lung cancer-screening test to reduce the barriers to diagnosis for America’s deadliest cancer. Following the successful launch of Preora’s lung cancer screening test, the company intends to commercialize additional PWS Nanocytology™-based tests for colorectal cancer, prostate cancer and other solid-tumor malignancies.

Ben Bergo, Planet Innovation’s Executive Director of Corporate Development, said, “We are delighted to partner with the exceptional team at Preora to realize their mission and make dramatic improvements to cancer patient survival rates, starting with the commercialization of their lung cancer screening test and sample preparation technology. Preora’s core technology is supported by numerous publications and clinical data collected from more than 2,000 patients, presenting a robust data set to support the platform’s potential for broad application across many types of solid-tumor cancers.”