University of Geneva spin-off Adiposs combats cancer cachexia
Life sciences
12 August 2020
The Geneva-based biotechnology start-up Adiposs has developed a revolutionary medical imaging product capable of detecting a serious syndrome affecting cancer patients: cachexia. The company was granted a CHF 100,000 Tech Seed loan from the Foundation for Technological Innovation (FIT). Adiposs, a biotech start-up and spin-off from the University of Geneva, has developed an innovative medical […]
The Geneva-based biotechnology start-up Adiposs has developed a revolutionary medical imaging product capable of detecting a serious syndrome affecting cancer patients: cachexia. The company was granted a CHF 100,000 Tech Seed loan from the Foundation for Technological Innovation (FIT).
Adiposs, a biotech start-up and spin-off from the University of Geneva, has developed an innovative medical imaging product called “ImageBAT” that can detect cachexia before the loss of weight and muscle wasting occur.
In Switzerland, 41,700 new cases of cancer are detected each year, causing 16,900 deaths, 25% of those cancer patients actually dying from another disease known as “cachexia”. Cachexia, which causes the patient’s adipose tissue and muscles to waste, leading to extreme fatigue, loss of appetite and poor response to cancer treatments, was previously undetectable at an early stage.
Adiposs’ objective is making its ImageBAT product an essential diagnostic tool in the management of cancers. The diagnostic procedure with the contrast agent developed by the start-up is fast, painless, highly accurate and economical, as it can be made available in any hospital in the world.
Very promising outlook for a multi-award winning start-up
Adiposs has already won numerous awards: finalist of the MassChallenge 2020, Swiss winner of the AIT India 2020, best project award at the Geneva Bio-innovation Days (2018) and winner of the Innovation Trophy of the University Hospitals of Geneva (2017). The project was also supported by Fondation Eclosion (CHF 200,000) and Venture Kick via a convertible loan of CHF 150,000.
ImageBAT is now at the end of the pre-clinical development phase, with successful proof-of-concept studies completed in 2020. The phase I clinical trial is planned for 2021.
