Q1 2019

6 GHP / Q1 2019 , Founded in 2017, Clyz Labs utilise cutting edge technological innovations to spearhead their work in lung cancer research. In August, Clyz Labs was recognised in Global Health & Pharma Magazine’s 2018 Life Sciences Awards programme for their work in diagnostic oncology. On the back of this success, we spoke with Dr Himanshu Kataria, CEO andManaging Director of Clyz Labs, to find out more. A Lab Driving Innovation in Cancer Research Science is driven by innovation, creativity, and by ideas that push the boundaries of what was believed to be possible. Science is a collaborative forward march, adapting and evolving every day on the backs of academics, practitioners and researchers the world over. Today, technology is the revolutionary driver of discovery, as the life sciences sector races to keep pace of frequent – and swift – developments. For many world-leading research establishments, cancer remains the thorn in humanity’s side, despite a wealth of funding. As such, innovation is, and will always be, utterly essential to ongoing research, as new techniques, technologies and therapies open up new possibilities for, ultimately, a cure. Clyz Labs is one of those establishments, as Himanshu starts the interview by offering an overview of their important work. “Clyz Labs is a knowledge- based oncological lab in the UK. Our mission, from inception, was to collaboratively bridge 3D cell construct technologies to personalise cancer treatment. So, what we do is utilise the cells from the patient’s biopsies and blood samples, grow them in a 3-dimensional scaffold and expose them to various cancer treatments to provide a personalised recommendation to each individual patient. Our main focus area is lung cancer, because – currently – 60 to 65% of people who get diagnosed with lung cancer do not live to see the anniversary of their diagnosis. They die within the first year.” “Our first clinical trial for lung cancer patients commenced in our NHS hospital in September 2018. We have already tested six patients, and we are getting encouraging results from them – in fact, two patients are scheduled to undergo tests today.” Like their peers, innovation remains the lifeblood of Clyz Labs, as they work tirelessly to realise the possibilities of new and emerging technology in the treatment of cancer. “Our main mission in around developing this innovative 3D cell cultivation test, so if we are not successful in technological innovation, we would not be successful as a business. Essentially, innovation makes or breaks the business. It is fundamental to it.” Nonetheless, despite a promising future, there are notable challenges ahead for the life sciences sector, particularly in relation to acknowledging real-world applications of their techniques and treatments. Himanshu takes a moment to emphasise the role that cost-effectiveness plays in the lab’s future plans. “A particular LI180018 challenge that lies ahead for healthcare providers, particularly for the commissioners, is analysing the cost-effectiveness of individual tests and therapies. That’s one of the reasons why we have included a cost-effective analysis without our next prospective study that looks set to commence in 2019.” “To talk in a more broader scope: one of the main challenges in the wider life sciences space has experienced over the last few years in the UK is under- investment following the Brexit referendum. I foresee that, in the future, investment will greatly surpass that of recent years due to the government’s industry strategy and companies bringing forward their investment plans.” By all regards, 2019 is an important year for Clyz Labs as they look to capitalise on their recent successes, as Himanshu discusses in his closing comments. “We expect to have completed our current clinical trials, our first study, in the next year with the aim of marketing the test within international markets in 2019. We also plan to commence the prospective study with the cost-effective measure to fulfil the NICE (National Institute for Health and Care Excellence) technological appraisal in the next two or three years. Following this, we can expect in excess of £7 million in revenue in 2023. Personally, I think we need to raise that figure to £8 million, as we have recently updated our forecasts.” Contact: Dr Himanshu Kataria Company: Clyz Labs Address: Boihub, Alderly Park, Alderly Edge, Cheshire, SK10 4TG, United Kingdom Website: www.clyzlabs.co.uk