Oncosema and the STC Finder consortium awarded by the Lyon Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes Cancéropole.

On December 2, 2024, the “Proof of Concept” call for projects by the Lyon Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes Cancéropôle honored the STC Finder project. This initiative is led by a multidisciplinary consortium of experts dedicated to developing a sorting and counting tool for circulating tumor cells (CTCs) in biological fluids.

A Breakthrough in Tumor Cell Detection

Cancer cells released by a tumor into biological fluids play a key role in cancer dissemination. Although these cells can be accessed with minimally invasive methods, their potential remains underutilized due to the limitations of current technologies, which lack sufficient sensitivity to detect them in the early stages of the disease.
STC Finder aims to fill this gap by developing cutting-edge technology capable of identifying and analyzing these cells with unprecedented precision, particularly for digestive cancers. This device will capture and count tumor cells in blood and peritoneal fluid and study their modes of dissemination—whether systemic or local.

A Promising Technology for Personalized Medicine

The STC Finder project aims to offer kits integrating magnetic biochips and microspheres coated with antibodies specific to tumor markers. These tools will enable rapid and automated analysis of biological samples, providing real-time information on disease progression and treatment efficacy. This innovation paves the way for non-invasive tests to understand the spread of digestive cancers better and to tailor therapeutic strategies to each patient.

A Collaboration of Experts

The success of STC Finder is the result of exceptional collaboration. Within the consortium, Oncosema, a startup specializing in liquid biopsy, handles the industrial development and production of the kits. CNRS laboratories—the Lyon Institute of Nanotechnology and the Institut Lumière Matière—focus on the design of the biochips. Lastly, the Hospices Civils de Lyon and the Lyon Cancer Innovation Center contribute their clinical expertise by testing the technology on patient samples.
With this recognition, the STC Finder project gains support to achieve a crucial milestone in diagnosing and monitoring digestive cancers. It aims to make significant advancements in improving patient care.