The Hindu Business Line : Actis develops tools for early detection of breast cancer

Mumbai, Oct. 24 California-based Actis Biologics Inc (ABI) is developing technology for early detection of breast cancer, with plans for improved diagnostics and treatment at a later stage.

Through its Malaysia-based subsidiary Telesto Diagnostics, it has developed computer-aided (CAD) technology to detect potential cancerous sites. This reduces human error, besides cutting the time and cost of treatment, said the ABI co-founder and Chairman, Mr Sanjeev Saxena.

At present, mammography is used to check for breast cancer, but this is only as good as the reader, says Mr Saxena. Telesto has developed software that helps doctors read the mammography by looking for molecular specifications, and the system has 95 per cent accuracy, he said. The technology was tested on 450 people in the US, he added.

Experts say breast cancer could affect 2.5 lakh women in India by 2015, and its incidence runs neck-and-neck with cervical cancer. October is observed as breast cancer awareness month, represented by the pink ribbon.

Hardware development

Ready with its software, Telesto is now working on the hardware — an instrument to read the mammographs. The final product, TelestoCAD, will be launched in Asian markets mid-2010, he said. It will later be launched in European and US markets, which have similar technology at present.

Unlike existing computer-aided technology that compares different mammographs, Telesto seeks to locate potential cancer sites that are not obvious, he added.

The TelestoCAD is expected to be priced about $75,000, as compared to other similar products that sell at $200,000, he said.

Later, Telesto expects to improvise the instrument to do a biopsy, by inserting a needle and taking a sample from the potential cancer site. And still later, it expects to extend the technology to deliver drug to that site.

Funding

Mr Saxena said Telesto’s research is funded through investments from Actis Biologics Malaysia (ABM), a joint venture between ABI, AB Pvt Ltd (ABPL) and Malaysian investors. ABPL is a venture between ABI (with 30 per cent equity) and Indian investors.

Private funding did not happen in India, as there was more rethinking and due diligence due to the global recession, he said. However, Malaysia is a vibrant medical devices market and ABM is also setting up Biocity, a biotech park, at an investment of $400 million over eight years, he said. While the Malaysian Government provides the infrastructure, Actis brings in the technology companies, and six companies have been tied up, he said. The Melaka State Government holds 10 per cent equity in this project, he added.

In India, the four-year-old ABPL seeks to raise $25 million through private equity firms to fund its projects, largely cancer-related, already under development.

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