Commercialization of a Novel Colon Cancer Diagnostic Test for Improved Patient Outcomes and Healthcare Economics

Student: Kate Beriont, 2018-2019

Sponsor: YeSSGenomics, South Bend, IN

In 2015, Nature Medicine published a landmark study establishing a consensus on the four clinically significant subtypes of colon cancer. Now there is published, pre-clinical evidence to show that these subtypes respond differently to specific chemotherapies that are already on the market. Up to this point, oncologists have been unable to utilize subtyping as diagnostic in determining optimal treatment for colon cancer patients because the technology used to subtype colon cancer in the research setting is not yet feasible in the clinical setting.

For my capstone project I am working with YeSSGenomics, whose ColotypeR technology enables accurate subtyping in the clinical setting using a 20 gene signature and fitting the test to routinely available clinical technology. I will be working to validate the technology by connecting with key opinion leaders in the colon cancer oncology field, diving deeper into the landscape of colon cancer diagnostics to understand competitors, and developing a go-to-market strategy (with particular attention to reimbursement and regulatory strategy).