The SenCirTeg project, a collaboration between the Cancer Institute at Lyon Public Hospitals (IC-HCL) and Grenoble-based company INOVOTION, has just been rewarded for its strong potential through the CLARA 2016 Proof-of-Concept programme, awarded by the Lyon, Auvergne, Rhône-Alpes Cancéropôle.
This project, which links Dr. Denis Maillet’s clinical team and the start-up directed by Prof. Jean Vialet, aims to validate the proof-of-concept of the chemogram. This project uses the potential of the technology developed by INOVOTION to characterise a patient’s circulating tumour cells (CTC) and thus predict their response to treatment. A prospective study will be performed, involving patients with three types of cancer: prostate, breast, and lung.
The project has a budget of almost €585k, €285k of which comes from funding awarded by Grenoble Alpes Métropole and the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region, this funding was matched by the partner company. The collaboration is set to start now and is anticipated by the teams with enthusiasm. “The HCL team has recognised expertise in treating liquid biopsies (DNA and circulating tumour cells). The test to predict response to treatment developed by INOVOTION could, if it is successful, result in very significant improvements to clinical management of a number of types of cancer”, declares Denis Maillet. “The technology being developed at INOVOTION is not restricted to a particular cancer or type of therapy. Therefore, the response to treatment should be predictable for any type of tumour or chemotherapy”, indicates Jean Viallet. This observation further highlights the impact that this project could have if it is successful.
