In a report
published by Transparency Market Research, the global cancer diagnostics market
was estimated four months ago as being on track to grow at a CAGR of 7.6% over
the next five years to around $169 billion. The increasing prevalence of lung
cancer, the second most common type of all cancers, will continue to be a
strong underlying driver of the diagnostic market’s growth. China is seen as
one of the fastest growing markets in this segment, considering the incident
rate is rising ferociously according to the latest World Health Organization
analysis, which cites the fact that lung cancer is now the most common type
diagnosed among Chinese males and has rocketed up to become the top overall
cancer killer in the country.
The story of a
beautiful young 20-year-old Chinese girl, Li Na, recently went viral online
across China, detailing her courageous battle against and eventual death at the
hands of lung cancer. This story of an attractive young girl, cut down in the
prime of her life by the ravages of lung cancer (including a leg amputation at
the thigh due to associated osteosarcoma), has created a much sharper awareness
among Chinese people far and wide regarding to the country’s growing problem
with cancer, as well as air pollution. The highly publicized smog in Beijing
continues to be a prime and oft-cited example of the kinds of environmental
hazards and principal causes behind the alarming rise of lung cancer cases in
China. Of course, high rates of smoking among Chinese men is also a major
contributing factor and given that early detection of cancer is perhaps the
most important element of a solution when it comes to saving lives, the early
detection and diagnostics market, particularly for lung cancer, has a very
bright future indeed – both at home here in the U.S. and abroad.
The recent buzz
about a lung cancer breathalyzer testing system developed by University of
Cambridge researchers and under further development towards commercialization
by a university spin off, Owlstone Nanotech, shows that breath-based detection
technology is finally coming into its own. Given that early detection of lung
cancer results in a roughly 71% survival rate and that less than 15% of cases
today are ever detected early, the demand for a robust testing system is extremely
high within the medical community. The advent of a commercial device would mean
the possibility for comprehensive testing and Owlstone has floated a potential
target date for devices to start appearing in medical clinics in the UK of
around September 2016, with a commercial product possibly becoming available
sometime in 2017.
Much farther along
the commercialization pathway in bringing a breath-based lung cancer detection
device to market is publicly traded Zenosense, Inc. (OTCQB: ZENO), which is currently
trading at a highly accessible share price of around $0.18/share. Zenosense has
an exclusive contract with European sensor developer Sgenia Group, whose
dedicated subsidiary, Zenon Biosystem, is developing both a lung cancer
detection device and a MRSA/SA (Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus)
detection device based on their established, patent-pending sensor technology.
Sgenia Group has an
impressive track record in sensor technology as well, having established itself
firmly in European markets via efforts like their development and supply of
cutting-edge sensors to the $19 billion plus Tokamak nuclear fusion project.
This same sensor hardware and software was later adapted and successfully
utilized in producing an algal contamination detector capable of scanning for
targeted VOCs (volatile organic compounds) in water supplies, technology which
has been and is being rolled out across Spain. The proprietary sensor hardware
and electronic processing technology developed by Sgenia is extremely accurate
and yet cheap in the currently under development applications, leveraging key
design advances and a software-based virtualization technique in order to
create a platform that is both high-fidelity and cost-effective.
Zenon Biosystem’s
development of MRSA/SA and lung cancer detection devices using this technology
has gone extremely well thus far, with a set of pre-commercial lung cancer
detectors having been successfully manufactured as of November 2014, and a
subsequent 400-person detection trial initiated at a university hospital the
following month. Given that the MRSA/SA prototype already produced a
sensibility detection rate of over 95% last year, confidence is high at ZENO
that they have the pole position when it comes to commercializing a lung cancer
detector that uses exhaled breath.
Moreover, the
company has already seen key device advancements in the areas of screening out
background VOCs that would be considered noise when it comes to making an
accurate diagnosis, using molecular sieves and nanometric sensing mesh. Similar
advancements by Zenon with the development of new metal oxide materials and
combinations thereof, not currently seen in commercially available sensors, as
well as the design of a complementary quartz crystal sensor that uses a gas
sorbent substrate and associated micro gas chromatography chip for
pre-detection screening, also give the company a considerable edge.
If Zenosense can
bring a breath-based, cost-effective lung cancer detection device to market
ahead of the competition, the company could be raking in the dough amid a
booming global cancer diagnostics market.
For more
information, visit www.zenosense.net
About
QualityStocks
QualityStocks is committed to connecting subscribers with companies that have huge potential to succeed in the short and long-term future. We offer several ways for investors to find, evaluate, and learn more about investing in these companies.
QualityStocks is committed to connecting subscribers with companies that have huge potential to succeed in the short and long-term future. We offer several ways for investors to find, evaluate, and learn more about investing in these companies.
Sign up for “The QualityStocks Daily Newsletter” at www.QualityStocks.net
The Quality Stocks Daily Blog http://blog.qualitystocks.net
The Quality Stocks Daily Videos http://videocharts.qualitystocks.net
The Quality Stocks “Ones to Watch” http://gotstocks.qualitystocks.net
Please see disclaimer on the QualityStocks website: http://disclaimer.qualitystocks.net
No comments:
Post a Comment