MedTech firm targets clinical trials for its pioneering lung cancer detection system

Clinical trials are set to begin later this year on a ground-breaking early detection test for lung cancer, developed by a Manchester MedTech firm.

Averywell has created a proprietary technology to detect microRNA biomarkers at the early onset of lung cancer, attracting attention from the global scientific community.

More than 75% of UK lung cancer patients are still being diagnosed at an advanced stage of the disease.

The mirLung Dx lung cancer detector is the brainchild of Dr Cherry Na Yu Chia who launched her start-up after her studies at The University of Manchester and with the help of the Masood Entrepreneurship Centre at the Alliance Manchester Business School.

Dr Chia, founder and CEO of Averywell, said: “This test is a game-changer for the millions of people around the world who hear the devastating words ‘you may have lung cancer’ every year. The current test for lung cancer is expensive, not 100% accurate and involves invasive procedures.

“Averywell is a patient-centric company and our vision is to make picking up lung cancer, in its early stages, easy, painless and convenient.”

She added: “Patients will be able to collect their own blood and send it back to us for testing. The convenience of a simple blood test aims to encourage regularly testing so cancer can be spotted early because when the cancer isn’t too large and hasn’t spread, it is more likely to be treated successfully.”

Over the past 18 months the business has won places on multiple highly competitive accelerators and business support programmes beating competition from hundreds of other hopefuls worldwide.

These include:

• Securing laboratory space, mentoring and business support after Averywell was one of the top 10 global winners of the 2022 Innovation Forum life sciences accelerator programme.
• Winning first prize on the Alderley Park Accelerator Programme, in Cheshire.
• Joining the Barclays Eagle Labs business support programme.
• Winning the MedTech and HealthTech category at the 2023 North West Start-Up Awards.
• Joining the Royal Academy of Engineering regional talent engine programme – a six-month pre-accelerator programme for early-stage founders.

Dr Chia said: “Being nominated, shortlisted and winning awards and prizes on accelerator programmes is really tangible and motivating to a scientist like me. It feels like our aim of having our mirLung Dx lung cancer detector device in the hands of clinicians is getting closer and closer.

“We’ve developed a product that people need and want and everyone we speak to about the technology is very excited by it. Potential customers – such as public and private clinical laboratories – are interested in it but investors have also really bought into it and want to be part of Averywell as it grows.”

She added: “The aim is to get investment and start clinical trials in the UK before the end of the year. We need institutional and other professional investors in order to take it to the next level.”

Dr Laura Etchells, enterprise development manager, Masood Entrepreneurship Centre, said: “Having supported Dr Chia on her entrepreneurial journey we’re delighted to see Averywell going from strength to strength and wish Cherry and all the Averywell team every success as they embark on the next stage of further growth and development.”