News & Awards

Earlier this year the UK Health and Social Care Committee conducted an inquiry which sought to explore innovations in cancer diagnosis and treatment. By gathering evidence from a wide array of organisations and experts, it examined how these innovations can be transitioned into frontline and clinical settings.

Cyted took this opportunity to submit a written response to the inquiry detailing the potential of its diagnostics technology and was subsequently invited to present further evidence to the committee as a witness.

In July, Cyted CEO Marcel Gehrung was invited to the House of Commons to provide additional evidence in person, highlighting the importance of early intervention and cancer detection, and how we can get new diagnostic technologies to the patients who need them.

During the session, he told the Committee about how vital it is that we:

• Use new diagnostics to identify cancers as early and widely as possible to help save lives.
• Identify and remove barriers to patients taking tests so more people can access this service.
• Deliver an easily accessible Heartburn Health Check to provide walk-in tests on demand.

Cyted’s written evidence can be read in full here on the Parliament website:https://committees.parliament.uk/writtenevidence/120632/pdf/

• Heartburn Health Check to be offered to patients across England
• New evidence that Cyted’s test can save money and relieve NHS pressures

A new test to detect and help prevent early oesophageal cancer will be delivered to NHS patients from this weekend. The diagnostic company Cyted will launch the Heartburn Health Check programme as part of an NHS-funded rollout, set to benefit more than 80 locations across the UK.

Cyted has already provided 15,000 early oesophageal cancer detection tests with existing technology. Now it is launching a new UKCA and CE-marked testing device - the EndoSign® capsule sponge test – which will be deployed in both clinical and community settings.

An independent report from Unity Insights concludes that Cyted’s testing could save the NHS millions of pounds as well as significantly reduce endoscopy waiting lists. The report calculated that a single NHS Integrated Care System, of which there are 42 in total, could save as much as £3.86m over five years by adopting the technology.

Cyted’s tests are more comfortable and accessible than conducting endoscopies – the current standard of care for diagnosing and monitoring patients with the precancerous condition Barrett’s oesophagus. Widespread deployment can help cut waiting lists and ease pressures on hospitals. Oesophageal cancer is one of the most malignant cancers, with over half a million people dying from the condition globally every year.

Cyted’s new device is the next generation of capsule sponge testing, featuring improved usability that makes the test easier and faster for practitioners and more comfortable for patients. The test sees patients swallow a capsule which collects cells from the oesophagus in a process that takes less than ten minutes. It can be used to monitor patients suffering from chronic heartburn and Barrett’s oesophagus, who are at risk of developing oesophageal cancer, to ensure that cancer can be quickly detected earlier and treated.

The programme of tests to be launched this weekend has been financed by the UK government’s Small Business Research Initiative (SBRI), which provided £3.4m in grant funding to Cyted earlier this year. It will initially be offered to patients in Lancashire and South Cumbria, East of England and Wessex to both help monitor those with Barrett’s oesophagus and to identify people with persistent heartburn who are most at risk of developing cancer. This additional work will build on Cyted’s ongoing testing programme in hospitals and communities throughout the UK.

MARCEL GEHRUNG, CEO and co-founder of Cyted, said: “We want to deliver our Heartburn Health Check to as many patients as possible. Cyted’s new EndoSign® technology will ensure we can provide early cancer tests in even more communities.

“The delivery of the Heartburn Health Check in community diagnostic centres and GP clinics will make our testing even easier to access. Oesophageal cancer is a major public health concern and one of the deadliest cancers, having a survival rate of less than 15%. Simply put: faster and earlier diagnoses can save lives.”

• Financing includes a $4.2m (£3.4m) NHS Cancer Programme grant
• Patients across UK already benefiting from early cancer test
• New investment will be used for commercial growth and R&D programmes

Cambridge, UK, 17 May 2023, 15.00 GMT:Today, the early cancer diagnostics company Cyted announces a funding round of $16.8 million (£13.4m) co-led by BGF and Morningside Ventures with participation from private investors. The investment includes a £3.4m ($4.2m) non-dilutive grant from the NHS Cancer Programme, announced last month.

The financing will be used to scale in existing markets, as well as entering the US market, and further develop Cyted’s research and development programmes across gastrointestinal cancers and diseases. It will support the expansion of Cyted’s work providing early detection tests for oesophageal cancer to NHS patients in primary and community care settings.

The NHS Cancer Programme grant, provided with the support of SBRI Healthcare, will be used by Cyted to offer further tests in the community in Lancashire and South Cumbria, the East of England and the Wessex NHS region. It follows a £500,000 grant from SBRI Healthcare in Spring 2022 for a separate project providing community testing in the North-West of England.

Cyted’s innovative diagnostic platform combines a non-invasive test with data-driven biomarkers for early detection and risk stratification of cancers and inflammatory diseases. Its first application is in esophageal cancer.

Founded only three years ago, the company has already delivered over 15,000 tests to diagnose and monitor patients suffering from Barrett’s esophagus, a precursor to esophageal cancer, in more than 80 sites across the UK. Created by a team including Professor Rebecca Fitzgerald OBE and Dr Marcel Gehrung, both from the University of Cambridge, Cyted is a prime example of bringing ground-breaking science to industry. The test has also been undergoing rollout in community settings since August 2022, including primary care sites.

Esophageal cancer is a global public health priority, with late diagnoses and long waiting times for endoscopies leading to poor survival rates. Earlier diagnosis and better monitoring of Barrett’s esophagus patients, who are at higher risk of developing esophageal cancer, can help ensure that cancer is caught early and treated. By identifying cancer in its earliest stages, Cyted's technology helps to reduce the number of unnecessary endoscopies, has the potential to significantly improve patient outcomes and save lives - and is already doing so.

"We are thrilled to have the support of existing and new investors as we work to bring our diagnostic products to more markets" said Cyted CEO Marcel Gehrung."This funding demonstrates a vote of confidence in our technology. Early-stage cancer is a major global health issue, and we believe that our technology has the potential to make a real difference in the lives of even more patients and their families".

The company plans to use the funding to strategically expand its team, scale geographically, and pursue new development efforts. Cyted is committed to making early cancer detection accessible to everyone, ensuring that patients at risk of cancer get the care they deserve.

Lucy Edwardes Jones from BGF said: “Cyted is one of the most innovative companies at the intersection of diagnostics and cancer. The company is addressing a real-world issue with a simple and scalable solution. Their technology is already being used across the UK health system with the potential to have a significant impact on patients around the world.”

"We are excited to continue our commitment to Cyted’s fight against upper gastrointestinal cancers," said Anthony Aiudi from Morningside. "Cyted's technology will revolutionise the way we detect and monitor the earliest stages of disease. The proven clinical adoption and traction over recent years demonstrate an exciting opportunity for early cancer diagnostics and targeted screening".

• Major new funding for innovative CYTOPRIME2 diagnostics programme in the NHS
• Grant brings Barrett’s oesophagus test to more primary and community settings
• Extra support to help triage waiting lists and reduce pressure on endoscopy services

Cyted, a leading UK-based medical technology company, today welcomes the announcement that it has been awarded £3.4 million in grant funding to offer more diagnostic tests to NHS patients in primary and community care settings.

The significant injection of funds from NHS England’s Small Business Research Initiative (SBRI) will allow Cyted to run additional primary care clinics identifying patients suffering from Barrett’s oesophagus. Chronic reflux patients benefiting from the programme will be able to take a test in community settings to diagnose Barrett’s oesophagus symptoms, without needing to go into hospital.

As Barrett’s oesophagus can progress to become oesophageal cancer, swift diagnosis of the condition helps to identify more cancers early in future. The testing allows patients who have signs of early cancer to be prioritised for endoscopies, making it easier to triage waiting lists and reduce pressure on endoscopy services.

The grant comes from the NHS Cancer Programme, supported by SBRI Healthcare and Accelerated Access Collaborative, to enable the enhancement of efficiency, coordination and communication throughout the care pathway for people living with chronic reflux.

The new funding follows a £500,000 SBRI grant awarded last year to Cyted to pilot its test technology in community care settings in the North West of England. Both grants were awarded as part of Cyted’s work to bring more testing into the community to increase accessibility for people living with chronic reflux and Barrett’s oesophagus.

Cyted’s diagnostic platform brings together a non-invasive test with data-driven biomarkers for early detection and risk stratification of cancers and inflammatory diseases. Its first application is in oesophageal cancer. Cyted has already delivered over 15,000 tests in more than 80 hospitals to diagnose and monitor patients who are suffering from Barrett’s oesophagus. Across the world, late diagnoses and long waiting times for endoscopies can lead to poor survival rates. Cyted’s technology helps to identify cancer in its earliest stages when treatment can be more effective.

Cyted CEO Marcel Gehrung said: “Today’s announcement is great news for Cyted and for patients. It means we can get more quick, efficient tests out into communities, and make sure people can receive swift diagnoses without having to come into hospital. We are building on a long partnership with the NHS and looking forward to expanding that work.

“This substantial grant underlines the global potential of Cyted’s diagnostic technology. Worldwide, oesophageal cancer is a major global health issue and our non-invasive test can make a significant contribution to shortening waiting times and saving lives.”

The grant was awarded through an SBRI Healthcare competition. SBRI Healthcare is an NHS England & NHS Improvement initiative, supported by the Academic Health Science Network (AHSN) and managed by LGC Group.

Clinical and non-clinical colleagues interested in capsule sponge testing from across the UK will come together on 25 May to discuss what has been achieved to date and how this emerging technology will deliver real-world impact at a system level and transform the upper GI care pathway.

Check out the agenda and register for your free place here:

‍https://symposium.cyted.uk/

The early cancer test allows patients to swallow a capsule which collects cells from the oesophagus in a process that takes just ten minutes and can be delivered in the community. This technology is more comfortable and more accessible than conducting endoscopies – the current standard of care for monitoring Barrett’s oesophagus patients.

Oesophageal cancer remains a pressing public health priority, with late diagnoses leading to poor survival rates. Cyted’s highly effective diagnostic pathway to detect early-stage oesophageal cancer can reduce NHS backlogs and relieve pressures on endoscopy services.

"There is huge potential to build on this work to support many more patients and develop new diagnostic tests in future.”

The test is currently used in more than 50 hospitals in England and Scotland and is being trialled in community settings from August 2022, including in GP surgeries. The NHS has provided £500,000 of funding to pilot testing in community care across North-West England.

Marcel Gehrung, CEO and co-founder of Cyted said

“This milestone shows the difference that our test is making for many thousands of patients. This technology delivers quicker and less intrusive monitoring, freeing up NHS resources.

“The next stage will see the early cancer test used in GP clinics and community diagnostic centers. It’s exciting to see an innovation created in the UK making such a positive impact for patients. There is huge potential to build on this work to support many more patients and develop new diagnostic tests in future.”

Read more from Marcel here

As part of the Queen’s Jubilee Birthday Honours List 2022, Professor Fitzgerald was recognised for her unwavering commitment to improving the early diagnosis of cancer, in particular her lifetime work on the Cytosponge.

The Queen's Birthday Honours mark the extraordinary contributions and service of people across the UK.

In addition to Professor Fitzgerald’s award, Cambridge has been highlighted as an innovation hotspot, with industry leaders and academics across sectors being recognised for their incredible work.

Professor Fitzgerald, Professor of Cancer Prevention and Co-Founder at Cyted, said: "It is an exciting but long path from the seed of an idea through to implementation of the Cytosponge in the NHS, and receiving this award is an honour and a tremendous boost for me and the whole team who continue to strive to improve the early diagnosis of cancer."

Marcel Gehrung, CEO and Co-Founder at Cyted, said: “I am extremely proud of my fellow Co-Founder on receiving this well-deserved honour, and I know the whole team are with me on extending our deepest congratulations. We have come a long way in recent years and we know there is a huge potential for the Cytosponge to save thousands of lives across the globe, through the earlier and faster detection of cancer.

You can read more here

Regarded as the industry’s equivalent of a Nobel Prize, Prix Galien is dedicated to honouring innovation in life sciences.

The Cytosponge was chosen against a strong list of industry leading innovation, recognising it as a game-changer for both patients and health systems.

Cyted has accelerated access to the Cytosponge test across the UK, with successful pilots ongoing for the detection and monitoring of Barrett’s oesophagus – a known precursor to oesophageal cancer – with expansion into primary care underway.

Now available in hospitals across England, the Cytosponge offers a way to triage and prioritise patients for endoscopy and tackle the NHS backlog.

With the Cytosponge, signs of cancer are picked up much earlier, improving survival rates in a cancer with typically poor outcomes. The Cytosponge is also supporting the NHS in its recovery by cutting patient wait times and pressure on endoscopy services.

Best Medical Technology was open to any instrument, apparatus, appliance, software or other article (whether used alone or in combination together with any accessories, including software used specifically for diagnostic and/or therapeutic purposes) that has had a significant, positive impact on improving patient lives.

Marcel Gehrung, CEO and Co-Founder at Cyted, comments: “This is a huge moment for Cyted and the Cytosponge. I am immensely proud that the Cytosponge has been awarded Best Medical Technology by Prix Galien.

“At Cyted, our ultimate objective is to make the Cytosponge a routine test for millions of patients at risk, both in the UK and beyond, preventing tens of thousands of deaths from advanced oesophageal cancer every year.”

Project CYTOPRIME will divert patients living with reflux and Barrett’s Esophagus from endoscopy waiting lists

The North-West has the longest waitlist for endoscopy in England, with more than 50% of patients waiting over six weeks for a potentially life-saving diagnostic test

Cyted has today announced it has received £0.5 million funding from the Small Business Research Initiative (SBRI) Healthcare to pilot the Cytosponge test in the community care setting across the North-West of England.

Cyted will work in partnership with the Innovation Agency North West Coast Academic Health Science Network, the Lancashire & South Cumbria Cancer Alliance, the Cheshire & Merseyside and Lancashire & South Cumbria NHS Integrated Care Systems, Unity Insights and Medtronic.

Project CYTOPRIME will transform local care pathways across Cheshire & Merseyside and Lancashire & South Cumbria. Healthcare professionals will receive training to deliver the Cytosponge test and establish their own clinics in GP centres and community diagnostic centres.

Through Project CYTOPRIME, we will offer the Cytosponge test to patients on endoscopy waiting lists living with reflux (heartburn) symptoms and Barrett’s Oesophagus. The Cytosponge positively identifies approximately 15% of these patients to have signs of early oesophageal cancer¹, who can then be prioritised for endoscopy and treatment.

Implementing innovative ways to triage endoscopy waiting lists is more important than ever, with the pressures felt across the country. These pressures are particularly felt in the North-West, where we have one of the longest waitlists for endoscopy at 13,738 patients and over 50% waiting more than six weeks for a potentially life-saving diagnosis.²

By delivering the Cytosponge test in a community setting, Project CYTOPRIME will relieve pressure on secondary care teams and support recovery of endoscopy services. Offering the Cytosponge test in the community also seeks to create health equity by overcoming barriers and reducing geographic and socio-economic inequality in access to diagnostic services.

By transforming local care pathways, Project CYTOPRIME will build a blueprint to help the NHS identify those “missing patients” who have not yet presented to their GPs or been diagnosed with oesophageal cancer. Expanding access to the Cytosponge test will save lives by shortening waiting times between referral and diagnosis, catching oesophageal cancer at an earlier stage where treatments are more likely to be effective.

Throughout Project CYTOPRIME, Cyted will evaluate the impact of offering the Cytosponge test in the community for the healthcare system. If successful, this service model for the Cytosponge test could be considered and adopted by other regions across the UK.

The award is one of nine innovations to receive £4 million through a nationwide funding call by SBRI Healthcare, in collaboration with NHS England and NHS Improvement, the AHSN Network and NHS Accelerated Access Collaborative.

Marcel Gehrung, CEO and Co-Founder at Cyted, comments: “We are delighted to be expanding the use of the Cytosponge test to community settings in the North-West of England with support from the SBRI.

This will support the recovery of endoscopy waiting times in one of the regions under most demand across the country, helping patients access potentially life-saving cancer treatment sooner and relieving some stress and concern during a difficult time. We look forward to working with our NHS partners to broaden the reach and impact of the initiative in the coming months.”

Dr Jodie Moffat, Head of Strategic Evidence and Early Diagnosis Programme Lead, at Cancer Research UK, comments:"After decades of research by Cancer Research UK-funded scientists, we are excited to see the different ways Cytosponge is being explored in practice, including this latest project in the ​North-West. A quick, efficient, and minimally invasive diagnostic test like the Cytosponge could mean that some patients don’t need an endoscopy, which could save people from a long and anxious wait and also free up capacity for others."