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Peter Gombrich, Co-Founder and Executive Chairman, OncoGenesisOncoGenesis is a medical device company that aims to simplify the process of cervical screening to make it available to women around the globe. Its unique approach, using innovative techniques and devices, makes it an affordable and socially-acceptable option for women to self-test for cervical infections & disease, and quickly undergo treatment.
“Our strategy has been to develop a unique cervical screening method, one that can be done literally in the remote areas of the world where labs and trained personnel are unavailable,” says Peter Gombrich, co-founder, and executive chairman of OncoGenesis.
iPap® is the world’s first self-sampling device that collects cervical cells for analysis, making screening considerably convenient, easier, and cost-effective. Then the analytical platform CerMark® is a biomolecular assay based analytical approach that makes analysis a point of care test, significantly shortening the screening time, reducing the complexity of screening at both the individual and programmatic level, and making it available to women everywhere.
Even in the case of initial HPV screening from a self-collected vaginal sample, if the results are positive, they are required to return to the doctor or lab to submit a cervical sample to test for cancerous lesions through the use of cytology.
iPap completely eliminates these hurdles as it makes it possible for women to collect not just a vaginal sample, but also the cervical one, and send it to the lab for testing. This cervical sample allows for the screening of HPV and cancerous cells simultaneously, without the need for another round of screening.
The CerMark cartridge will allow Oncogenesis to support screening of women in remote areas or who travel a lot, such as flight attendants, traveling businesspeople, or those in the military. In the case of the military, current screening requires the government to spend a significant amount of money to simply get the samples delivered to a lab. The use of a self-test diagnosis device will help overcome these challenges
The CerMark analysis tool works in tandem with the iPap collection to further reduce barriers and costs of screening by utilizing mRNA biomarkers to detect cellular changes and test for signs of cancer with a higher specificity than simple HPV testing. When applied on OncoGenesis’ automated CRISPR-Cas instrument CerMed does not require a trained professional to operate it, making it a simple process for labs to adopt the new tool and reduces the overall cost of the screening process for clinics and their clients.
Oncogenesis aims to outfit even the most basic laboratories with their CerMark analytical tool and commercialize the use of iPap across the world. However, their endgame is to create a disposable test that women can use to collect a sample and determine the probability of cervical disease on their own. This “ultimate product,” which is currently being developed in collaboration with a “Lab on a Chip” developer will be a cartridge-based test similar to a home Covid-19 test with very sensitive technology that will be cost-effective and efficient.
“It will allow the woman to collect her own sample, put it into the cartridge, and within minutes figure out if she’s HPV positive and progressing toward cervical disease,” says Gombrich.
Our strategy has been to develop a unique cervical screening method, one that can be done literally in the remote areas of the world where labs and trained personnel are unavailable
The CerMark cartridge will allow Oncogenesis to support screening of women in remote areas or who travel a lot, such as flight attendants, traveling businesspeople, or those in the military. In the case of the military, current screening requires the government to spend a significant amount of money to simply get the samples delivered to a lab. The use of a self-test diagnosis device will help overcome these challenges
OncoGenesis has made big strides in the field of medicine with its iPap and CerMark devices. With the introduction of its “ultimate product,” the company expects to make major strides in global health.
Company
OncoGenesis
Management
Peter Gombrich, Co-Founder and Executive Chairman, OncoGenesis
Description
OncoGenesis is a medical devices and healthcare company that provides an affordable option for women to diagnose cervical infections and quickly proceed for treatment. Their hallmark products are the iPap self-sampling kit and CerMark analysis tool that work in conjunction to deliver quick and effective results.
OncoGenesis News
OncoGenesis, Inc. Names Teresa Prego as New CEO/President
SALINAS - OncoGenesis, Inc. (“OncoGenesis”) announced today that after an extensive industry search, it has named industry veteran Teresa Prego as Chief Executive Officer.
Ms. Prego brings a successful track record of commercialization, fund-raising, and operations in multiple early-stage companies. She has served in several leadership positions with global companies, such as Boston Scientific, Ciba-Corning, Chiron, and Bayer Diagnostics. She has vast experience in in-vitro diagnostic ventures. Most notable is her work with market-driven companies and direct-to-consumer healthcare products.
“We are thrilled to have not only Teresa’s passion, skill, and industry expertise but know that given her background, she will accelerate our fund-raising efforts and the market launch of the OncoGenesis portfolio of products,” said Founder and Board Chair Peter Gombrich.
Ms. Prego’s background includes substantial experience with startup and early-stage companies and how to best work with venture and private equity firms. Her organizational leadership has led to multiple successful exits, including Chiron Diagnostics’ sale to Bayer Diagnostics, MedTech Surgical’s acquisition by Zimmer Biomet, and the addition of new private equity investment in Sevita.
OncoGenesis has patented the first-of-kind cervical cell self-collection device and stands to change the screening industry as it will enable both HPV testing and cytology (aka, Pap testing) from the same, self-collected sample. Combined with the company’s CerMark rapid biomolecular-based analysis of the sample currently in development, OncoGenesis expects to allow complete screening at the point of care or point of need without the need for an extensive laboratory infrastructure.
“I am excited to join OncoGenesis at a time when we are well-positioned to change the care paradigm for cervical cancer screening. We are addressing health inequity issues that exist for women globally, by providing women the ability to self-sample for cancer screening. I look forward to building the organization that will make this happen.”
iPap has demonstrated its ability to allow a woman to self-collect a cervical sample adequate for HPV testing and for cytology, at least as well as a physician-collected sample. iPap is CE-marked and available for sale and research in certain markets. CerMark and its assay are in multiple phases of development, and with the company’s development partner and funding, will initiate clinical studies.