Many healthcare professionals speak of a holy grail: A simple blood test that can detect cancer at its earliest stage — when it’s easiest to treat and possibly even cure.
The desire for such a test is understandable. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), cancer is the second-leading cause of death worldwide.
That’s why enthusiasm for Multi-Cancer Early Detection (MCED) screenings has exploded. And it’s why a medical-technology startup called 20/20 GeneSystems is so focused on early detection.
Leveraging its patented technology around machine learning, big data, and Artificial Intelligence (AI), this startup has created a powerful blood test — one that can detect the presence of more than a dozen different cancers.
This test, known as OneTest, works with a small amount of blood, which is sent to the company’s certified laboratory. From there, the sample is run using FDA-approved automated analyzers from companies like Roche and Abbott Diagnostics, the same robotic instruments used in major hospital systems.
Within about three days, 20/20 issues a comprehensive lab report that includes various biomarker values. These values are then plugged into a proprietary machine-learning algorithm which helps determine a OneTest risk score. Once the blood is tested and risk scores are generated, a detailed report is created, enabling the discovery and monitoring of potentially cancerous cells.
The timing of 20/20’s emergence is notable. In 2023, a bi-partisan bill was introduced in Congress that would expedite Medicare reimbursement for MCEDs. Passage of this bill remains a top priority for the American Cancer Society, and the National Institutes of Health (NIH) is investing more than $100 million to support multi-year clinical trials of MCEDs.
20/20’s OneTest isn’t anything radically new. It’s merely an improvement over existing options. Competing MCEDs require a large quantity of blood drawn, are less sensitive to detecting early-stage cancers, and can cost more than $1,000 per test. 20/20’s OneTest, in contrast, costs less than $300.
Notably, between 2020 and 2022, 20/20 shifted its focus temporarily to COVID-19 testing. During this stretch, the company brought in more than twenty-four million dollars in revenue. In 2022, 20/20 shifted its focus back to its OneTest product, and experienced 200% revenue growth between 2022 and 2023.
Importantly, revenue continues to rise while customer-acquisition costs (CAC) continue to fall. This is a sign of a healthy, growing business.
This year, 20/20 expects to record a significant jump in sales, along with a research agreement with one of the world’s largest cancer centers. It also expects to be the first and only provider of a multi-cancer test at retail pharmacies. A new longevity test is also planned for the second half of this year that will incorporate various biomarkers along with dietary and lifestyle recommendations.