Indianapolis, IN – October 24, 2024 – Early is Good (EIG), a life sciences company focused on developing innovative solutions enabling early cancer detection, has received a National Institutes of Health (NIH) Phase 2 grant of $1.6M in non-dilutive funding to support validation efforts of its bladder cancer monitoring test, BCDx. This non-invasive urine test is the first multi-omic test, making it a more accurate, affordable, and patient-friendly way to monitor bladder cancer recurrence.

There are 82,000 new cases of bladder cancer each year in the US¹ and approximately 800,000² people are currently living with the disease. Bladder cancer often recurs after treatment, with recurrence rates between 30% and 70%, making it one of the most expensive cancers to manage. The current standard for monitoring, cystoscopy, is invasive, costly, and often uncomfortable for patients. These factors contribute to reduced patient compliance and, ultimately, diagnosis of cancer at a later stage. Additionally, cystoscopy can be ineffective in detecting high-grade tumors, potentially leading to delayed diagnosis³.

“Early is Good’s BCDx test will provide a new solution for monitoring bladder cancer, which impacts many patients and their families,” said Dr. Thakshila Liyanage, co-founder and chief executive officer of Early is Good. “BCDx is a non-invasive urine test that looks at multiple biomarker types, including proteins and RNA, with the potential to provide more accurate results. This innovative test potentially would allow patients  to avoid invasive procedures, get earlier detection of recurrence, and have better overall outcomes.”

The NIH grant will fund research and development efforts, which will strengthen clinical evidence for widespread adoption of BCDx by healthcare professionals. This grant is a further validation of Early is Good’s work in bladder cancer and  its innovative multi-omic platform technology, which seamlessly integrates multiple biomarkers to enable early, highly precise cancer detection.

About Early is Good (EIG)

Indianapolis-based Early is Good (EIG) is developing non-invasive, multi-omic based tests to improve the accuracy and accessibility of cancer detection. The Multi-omic Integration Platform brings together DNA, RNA, protein, and metabolite detection in one test, enabling earlier and more precise cancer diagnosis. By providing faster and more reliable results, EIG aims to change how early cancer detection is done. Currently, EIG’s bladder cancer monitoring test is in clinical validation. EIG is also co-developing with Mayo Clinic to create a prostate cancer test. For more information, visit www.earlyisgood.com. 

Sources:

1. https://www.cancer.org/cancer/types/bladder-cancer/about/key-statistics.html
2. https://www.jnj.com/interview-with-janssen-doctor-explores-potential-bladder-cancer-treatment-options
3. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10777997/