Innovator profile: Oncimmune Paving the way for earlier lung cancer detection Early detection of lung cancer can save lives. Oncimmune has invested more than £62m into developing a screening kit to do just that, explains the firm’s Commercial Director Mike Fisher Oncimmune was formed in 2002 on the back of pioneering research at the University of Nottingham into the potential role of antibodies produced as part of the early immune response to the formation of cancers in the body to help detect cancers. The researchers found that antibodies were produced in high numbers as a response to even small numbers of cancerous cells and, therefore, can be measured from a simple blood sample at the earliest stages of cancer formation. Specifically, in lung cancer our research suggests these antibodies can be detected up to four years or more before a patient would normally be diagnosed in the UK. The unmet need in lung cancer has informed our strategy to focus on this disease, which has a high incidence that rarely shows symptoms until the later stages when the chances of survival are low. Late-stage detection of lung cancer has a five-year survival rate of 5 per cent, which increases to approximately 57% if the tumour is found early while still localised. In order to turn years of research into a product that could impact lives, Oncimmune has invested more than £62m into developing research laboratories and manufacturing capabilities to regulatory standards About Mike Fisher Watch an introduction to Oncimmune Mike’s tips for innovators in both Nottingham and Kansas, to provide access to the US market. Oncimmune’s first product – EarlyCDT Lung – was launched in the US in 2009. Since then, Oncimmune has sold more than 160,000 tests in the US. In 2017, Oncimmune created a CE-marked kit version of EarlyCDT Lung for distribution to laboratories outside of the USA. 1EarlyCDT Lung has two intended uses: As a screening test to identify high- risk patients who require a CT scan to detect cancer. This is the focus of the Early Cancer Lung Screening (ECLS) trial of 12,200 smokers in Scotland, which will report in autumn 2019. The interim results demonstrated that 75 per cent of cancers were detected at an early stage (stage 1 or 2) compared with the current 20 per cent early detection rate of cancers at stage 1 or 2 currently seen in Scotland. 2To assess the cancer risk in patients who have had a CT scan, or chest x-ray and have found a lung nodule that is classed as indeterminate with regards to whether it is cancerous. This is how the product is already being used successfully in the US and the area in which we will be doing a UK pilot. Eastern AHSN has helped us make introductions to NHS decision-makers in the East of England, who reviewed the technology and have agreed there is a real need, as adoption of CT screening is significantly increasing the number of patients identified with lung nodules. Currently, patients have to receive repeat scans for up to two years to look for nodule growth, but EarlyCDT Lung could be used immediately after a nodule is identified and, if the test is positive, patients could receive further diagnostic follow-up and treatment straight away. This not only reduces both anxiety for the patient and demand for CT scanner access, but it greatly improves the time from referral to treatment, a key metric for the NHS. We presented to a number of commissioning groups at Eastern AHSN’s cancer innovation exchange day and received excellent feedback from all the groups that will enable us to run pilot programmes to demonstrate the value of the test to the NHS and patients. For Oncimmune, networking events like this are key. It’s events like this that bring the right people together, allowing us to share our innovations with multiple groups in the region.It’s incredibly valuable meeting so many providers from across the region at a single event to discuss opportunities for collaborating. This event provides the platform to meet many more providers we would otherwise have to approach individually. The hospitals in the Eastern region are innovative in their approach to patient care, which enables us to work with early adopters. Oncimmune is currently in discussions with the Norfolk and Norwich University Hospitals about running an adoption pilot with patients identified in their CT screening programme. We hope that demonstrating success in this pilot will help drive adoption across England. Find out more about Oncimmune at oncimmune.com More from Mike Fisher “Eastern AHSN has helped make introductions to NHS decision-makers in the East of England, who reviewed the technology and have agreed ”there is a real need “The hospitals in the Eastern region are innovative in their approach to patient care, which enables us to work with early adopters” Innovator profile: Oncimmune Early detection of lung cancer can save lives. Oncimmune has invested more than £62m into developing a screening kit to do just that, explains the firm’s Commercial Director Mike Fisher Oncimmune was formed in 2002 on the back of pioneering research at the University of Nottingham into the potential role of antibodies produced as part of the early immune response to the formation of cancers in the body to help detect cancers. The researchers found that antibodies were produced in high numbers as a response to even small numbers of cancerous cells and, therefore, can be measured from a simple blood sample at the earliest stages of cancer formation. Specifically, in lung cancer our research suggests these antibodies can be detected up to four years or more before a patient would normally be diagnosed in the UK. The unmet need in lung cancer has informed our strategy to focus on this disease, which has a high incidence that rarely shows symptoms until the later stages when the chances of survival are low. Late-stage detection of lung cancer has a five-year survival rate of 5 per cent, which increases to approximately 57% if the tumour is found early while still localised. In order to turn years of research into a product that could impact lives, Oncimmune has invested more than £62m into developing research laboratories and manufacturing capabilities to regulatory standards About Mike Fisher Watch an introduction to Oncimmune Mike’s tips for innovators in both Nottingham and Kansas, to provide access to the US market. Oncimmune’s first product – EarlyCDT Lung – was launched in the US in 2009. Since then, Oncimmune has sold more than 160,000 tests in the US. In 2017, Oncimmune created a CE-marked kit version of EarlyCDT Lung for distribution to laboratories outside of the USA. 1EarlyCDT Lung has two intended uses: As a screening test to identify high- risk patients who require a CT scan to detect cancer. This is the focus of the Early Cancer Lung Screening (ECLS) trial of 12,200 smokers in Scotland, which will report in autumn 2019. The interim results demonstrated that 75 per cent of cancers were detected at an early stage (stage 1 or 2) compared with the current 20 per cent early detection rate of cancers at stage 1 or 2 currently seen in Scotland. 2To assess the cancer risk in patients who have had a CT scan, or chest x-ray and have found a lung nodule that is classed as indeterminate with regards to whether it is cancerous. This is how the product is already being used successfully in the US and the area in which we will be doing a UK pilot. Eastern AHSN has helped us make introductions to NHS decision-makers in the East of England, who reviewed the technology and have agreed there is a real need, as adoption of CT screening is significantly increasing the number of patients identified with lung nodules. Currently, patients have to receive repeat scans for up to two years to look for nodule growth, but EarlyCDT Lung could be used immediately after a nodule is identified and, if the test is positive, patients could receive further diagnostic follow-up and treatment straight away. This not only reduces both anxiety for the patient and demand for CT scanner access, but it greatly improves the time from referral to treatment, a key metric for the NHS. We presented to a number of commissioning groups at Eastern AHSN’s cancer innovation exchange day and received excellent feedback from all the groups that will enable us to run pilot programmes to demonstrate the value of the test to the NHS and patients. For Oncimmune, networking events like this are key. It’s events like this that bring the right people together, allowing us to share our innovations with multiple groups in the region.It’s incredibly valuable meeting so many providers from across the region at a single event to discuss opportunities for collaborating. This event provides the platform to meet many more providers we would otherwise have to approach individually. The hospitals in the Eastern region are innovative in their approach to patient care, which enables us to work with early adopters. Oncimmune is currently in discussions with the Norfolk and Norwich University Hospitals about running an adoption pilot with patients identified in their CT screening programme. We hope that demonstrating success in this pilot will help drive adoption across England. Find out more about Oncimmune at oncimmune.com More from Mike Fisher “Eastern AHSN has helped make introductions to NHS decision-makers in the East of England, who reviewed the technology and have agreed ”there is a real need “The hospitals in the Eastern region are innovative in their approach to patient care, which enables us to work with early adopters” Paving the way for earlier lung cancer detection About Mike Fisher Mike joined Oncimmune as Commercial Director in 2017. His role has been to oversee the launch of EarlyCDT Lung across the UK and Europe and support Oncimmune’s manufacturing contracts in the UK. Mike’s tips for innovators l Early engagement with the NHS is key. l Adoption can take a long time, even if all the data prove that your product is a ‘no brainer’. l Starting discussions early enables dissemination of ideas across the NHS and creates internal champions that can spread the word l A commissioner will want to see that investment is worthwhile and how investment in one product will affect other activities, not just at point of use, but up and downstream Eastern AHSN can help you with these areas. Innovator profile: Oncimmune Paving the way for earlier lung cancer detection Early detection of lung cancer can save lives. Oncimmune has invested more than £62m into developing a screening kit to do just that, explains the firm’s Commercial Director Mike Fisher Oncimmune was formed in 2002 on the back of pioneering research at the University of Nottingham into the potential role of antibodies produced as part of the early immune response to the formation of cancers in the body to help detect cancers. The researchers found that antibodies were produced in high numbers as a response to even small numbers of cancerous cells and, therefore, can be measured from a simple blood sample at the earliest stages of cancer formation. Specifically, in lung cancer our research suggests these antibodies can be detected up to four years or About Mike Fisher more before a patient would normally be diagnosed in the UK. The unmet need in lung cancer has informed our strategy to focus on this disease, which has a high incidence that rarely shows symptoms until the later stages when the chances of survival are low. Late-stage detection of lung cancer has a five-year survival rate of 5 per cent, which increases to approximately 57% if the tumour is found early while still localised. video box In order to turn years of research into a product that could impact lives, Oncimmune has invested more than £62m into developing research laboratories and manufacturing capabilities to regulatory standards in both Nottingham and Kansas, to provide access to the US market. Oncimmune’s first product – EarlyCDT Lung – was launched in the US in 2009. Since then, Oncimmune has sold more than 160,000 tests in the US. In 2017, Oncimmune created a CE-marked kit version of EarlyCDT Lung for distribution to laboratories outside of the USA. EarlyCDT Lung has two intended uses: “ As a screening test to identify high- Watch an introduction to Oncimmune Mike’s tips for innovators 1 The hospitals in the Eastern region are innovative in their approach to patient care, which enables us to w”ork with early adopters risk patients who require a CT scan to detect cancer. This is the focus of the Early Cancer Lung Screening (ECLS) trial of 12,200 smokers in Scotland, which will report in autumn 2019. The interim results demonstrated that 75 per cent of cancers were detected at an early stage (stage 1 or 2) compared with the current 20 per cent early detection rate of cancers at stage 1 or 2 currently seen in Scotland. “Eastern AHSN has helped make introductions to NHS decision-makers in the East of England, who reviewed the technology and have agreed ”there is a real need 2To assess the cancer risk in patients who have had a CT scan, or chest x-ray and have found a lung nodule that is classed as indeterminate with regards to whether it is cancerous. This is how the product is already being used successfully in the US and the area in which we will be doing a UK pilot. Eastern AHSN has helped us make introductions to NHS decision-makers in the East of England, who reviewed the technology and have agreed there is a real need, as adoption of CT screening is significantly increasing the number of patients identified with lung nodules. Currently, patients have to receive repeat scans for up to two years to look for nodule growth, but EarlyCDT Lung could be used immediately after a nodule is identified and, if the test is positive, patients could receive further diagnostic follow-up and treatment straight away. This not only reduces both anxiety for the patient and demand for CT scanner access, but it greatly improves the time from referral to treatment, a key metric for the NHS. video box We presented to a number of commissioning groups at Eastern AHSN’s cancer innovation exchange day and received excellent feedback from all the groups that will enable us to run pilot programmes to demonstrate the value of the test to the NHS and patients. For Oncimmune, networking events like this More from Mike Fisher are key. It’s events like this that bring the right people together, allowing us to share our innovations with multiple groups in the region.It’s incredibly valuable meeting so many providers from across the region at a single event to discuss opportunities for collaborating. This event provides the platform to meet many more providers we would otherwise have to approach individually. The hospitals in the Eastern region are innovative in their approach to patient care, which enables us to work with early adopters. Oncimmune is currently in discussions with the Norfolk and Norwich University Hospitals about running an adoption pilot with patients identified in their CT screening programme. We hope that demonstrating success in this pilot will help drive adoption across England. Find out more about Oncimmune at oncimmune.com