Roche led the financing alongside existing and new investors. The funds will progress clinical programs and expand platform capabilities.

– Registrational study targets enrollment of 20,000 individuals at high risk of lung cancer –SOUTH SAN FRANCISCO, Calif., Dec. 12, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Freenome, a privately held company developing multiomics blood tests for early cancer detection, today announced the initiation of its PROACT LUNG study and provided an update on its lung cancer research, including the ongoing Vallania study. The study is intended to validate the clinical performance of the Freenome blood test for lung cancer screening. The test combines lung cancer-specific biomarkers with cancer-common markers identified on Freenome's proprietary multiomics platform. This is Freenome's second blood-based test developed on the platform and being evaluated in a prospective clinical study.Early detection of lung cancer, while in its most treatable stage, leads to better clinical outcomes for patients.1,2 Recently, the United States Preventive Services Task Force expanded the recommended ages and smoking history for lung cancer screenings, reaffirming the importance of early detection. In people at high risk for lung cancer, annual screening with a low-dose CT (LDCT) scan is typically recommended as part of the standard of care (SOC)

Editor’s Note: Eva Everloo is senior investment analyst, and Anina Troya is an investment analyst intern at agrifood tech investor PeakBridge.The views expressed in this guest commentary are the authors’ own and do not necessarily reflect those of AgFunderNews.From accelerated drug discovery and turbo-charged R&D to sparkling marketing copy and improved customer service, artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) are being deployed in every field. But what do they bring to the food industry?In the third and final segment of a three-part deep dive into AI in food, Peakbridge explores the potential of AI to address the intersection of AI with nutrition and health.The rise of personalized nutritionChronic diseases such as cardiovascular diseases, cancer, diabetes, and respiratory conditions are the leading causes of illness, morbidity, and mortality in the United States and Europe, and constitute a significant portion of the global disease burden.In the US alone, they are responsible for 90% of the country’s $4.1 trillion annual healthcare, and they’re are on the rise, with 6 out of 10 US adults now having chronic diseases. Meanwhile, the Global Cancer Observatory (GLOBOCAN) forecasts that the global cancer burden is expected to increase to 28.4 million new cancer cases per year by 2040, with most cases occurring in low- and middle-income countries. Mental wellbeing should also be prioritized given the 13% rise in mental health conditions in the last decade.Factors exacerbating this situation include:Rise of unhealthy lifestyles: Diets low in fruits and vegetables and high in sodium and saturated fats are on the rise, alongside high rates of chronic stress, and sedentary lifestyles. Global dietary shifts: The globalization of food markets and the westernization of dietary habits have led to a surge in the availability and consumption of ultra-processed foods, pushing traditional diets to the sideline. This dietary shift has significant implications for healthcare as it affects overall well-being and health outcomes; this is exacerbated in regions where access to comprehensive healthcare and healthcare education is limited, and where there are stark economic disparities