Biotech startup Genefitletics launches test for early detection of oral cancer

Team L&M

Genefitletics, biotech & longevity company that offers India’s premier system biology + machine learning platform to detect & prevent the onset of metabolic diseases has entered into the preventive oncology space with the launch of an early detect test of Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma- ORAONCO. The test, working at the confluence of next generation sequencing & machine learning, measures the functions of oral microbial cells in each patient’s saliva & examines interaction between oral microbial activities & mitochondria in order to discover pre/early molecular features associated with the onset of oral cancer.

The test is built on a vector matrix algorithm which is completely data driven & has been constructed using 5 billion molecular data( nucleotides), phenotype metadata & longitudinal data points specific to Indian adult population with  high risk of type 2 diabetes, hypertension & gum diseases & regular consumption of alcohol, tobacco & tobacco products.

The early detect test statistically combines & quantifies 27 biochemical pathways encompassing seven molecular mechanisms that measure the oral biochemical functions leading to systemic inflammation, oxidative stress & mitochondrial dysfunction to detect the onset of oral cancer at the earliest stage.

Company’s proprietary recommendation engine then constructs & delivers nutritional therapeutics interventions to eliminate the carcinogenic molecules before cancer cells proliferate & metastasise.

The patients who are tested positive are told to follow up with a cancer centre/ oncologist for confirmed diagnosis.

The company asserts that with exponential technologies at forefront, the test will equip oncologists with early molecular signs of oral cancer, unidentifiable/not yet reflected in the current biopsy & other screening examinations, empowering them to prevent OSCC, stop its progression or treat it with precision.

The company also equips oncologists with a unique cocktail approach that blends carcinogenic molecular eliminating therapeutics with standard of care cancer therapies to prevent the recurrence & improve effectiveness of the therapies.

How ORAONCO could be a revolution in the preventive oncology space?

Oral cancer is one the biggest epidemics with Indian accounting for 1/3rd of global incidence. It is estimated that 144 Indians lose their lives to oral cancer daily. In the year 2022, oral cancer  in India accounted for 15.6% of total registered cancer cases for male population. Currently, > 70% of oral cancer cases are detected in stage III or IV when the tumour has progressed/grown or even lead to a situation of metastasis. At these stages, the 5 year survival rate is less than 50%.

The current standard of care for oral cancer is primitive & most clinicians rely on physical examinations of the mouth to identify lesions or breath tests which could also turn out to be false positives. This outdated approach is the core reason why oral cancer is detected at a late stage & patients lose on the life saving treatments.

Sushant Kumar, Founder & CEO-Genefitletics, mentions that their proprietary technology could go deeper down to cellular level to look at expression level of specific inflammatory & oxidative stress pathways that could lead to damaged respiration & mitochondria dysfunction- the hallmark of oral cancer.

Kumar clarified that ORAONCO is the first solution that not only detects oral cancer at an earliest stage but also provides mechanisms of action that can enable oncologists to prevent the disease, stop its progression or treat it with precision. The test brings unprecedented accuracy, could reduce mortality & improve survival rate to 84% from current < 50%, he added.