Lung cancer is the second most common cancer worldwide. More than 2 million people will be told that they have lung cancer each year and nearly 84% will die from the disease. The low survival rate is because lung cancer is asymptomatic during its early stages and patients are usually diagnosed at a late stage with a very low chance of surviving. Dr Cherry NY Chia has developed proprietary technology that enables early detection through a simple blood test.
Cherry is the founder and CEO of Averywell Ltd. Her Manchester medtech company has developed the mirLung Dx cancer test kit. It is able to detect tiny fragments of ribonucleic acid (RNA) that are released into the bloodstream by cancerous cells. By picking up these micro-RNA molecules, the presence of cancer in the body can be established even before symptoms have developed.
Averywell’s test for early lung cancer screening is non-invasive, accurate and cost-effective. Such a blood test will prevent radiation exposure to patients from the multiple scans and invasive biopsies that are usually made to identify lung cancer.
Cherry joined the Regional Talent Engines programme in 2023. She says “The training workshops improved our team's skills. The mentoring has guided us through complexities, and the network has opened doors to collaborations. This programme has accelerated our progress toward revolutionising early lung cancer detection.”
The mirLung Dx has been successfully tested and validated in pilot clinical trial studies. It will now undergo a larger clinical testing and validation to confirm the effectiveness and accuracy of the mirLung Dx. Cherry says “Our goal is to position the innovation for regulatory approval and eventual market launch, with the ultimate aim of saving lives through early cancer diagnosis.”
