Manta Cares and Gilead Sciences collaborate to support patients navigating metastatic lung and breast cancer. Manta Cares, Gilead Sciences Mar 17, 2026, 09:00 ET Collaboration spans implementation pilots, evidence generation, and nationwide distribution of customized navigation tools for lung and breast cancer SAN FRANCISCO, March 17, 2026 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ - Manta Cares, an award-winning digital health company transforming the cancer experience, today announced a multi-year, multi-faceted collaboration with Gilead Sciences to better support patients navigating metastatic cancer. The collaboration combines Manta's personalized cancer navigation tools and Gilead's long-standing commitment to community-centered care - part of the company's Community Cancer Collective initiative - to elevate the voices of patients and providers living this reality every day. The collaboration with Gilead advances each company's shared commitment to patient-first tools and education, including the nationwide rollout of Manta's customized planner for metastatic non-small cell lung cancer, developed with input from LUNGevity Foundation, as well as real-world pilots, community outreach, and ongoing research. "We're proud to collaborate with Manta Cares to support innovative, patient-first tools in the community," said Darren Tayama, M.D., Vice President, US Medical Affairs, Oncology at Gilead. "This is about more than technology. It's about trust, impact, and meeting patients in the real world." As part of its collaboration, Gilead is also supporting studies led by independent researchers to evaluate how patients and providers adopt and use the Manta platform in real-world settings. Findings have already been featured in abstracts and posters at major conferences including ASCO 2025 and ASCO QCS 2025. Early feedback revealed the platform's core value: helping patients feel more confident and prepared. Many used the planner to organize questions, track medications and appointments and better structure conversations with care teams. "When you're living with cancer, the support you need doesn't wait for your next appointment," said Samira Daswani, CEO and Founder of Manta Cares. "Gilead's early support helped us move faster, reach further, and ensure our tools met patients where they are, between visits and in daily life, where decisions are made and stress builds." As Manta Cares continues to expand access to its AI-enabled digital platform and patient-first tools, the company remains focused on a single goal: giving patients and their care partners the clarity, confidence, and structure they need, wherever they are in their cancer. This collaboration with Gilead underscores what's possible when innovation, empathy, and community come together. About Manta Cares Manta Cares is a patient-first digital health company redesigning the cancer experience. Founded by a cancer survivor, Manta helps patients and their care partners track symptoms, medications, appointments, and decisions - bringing clarity and structure to a deeply fragmented system. Designed in collaboration with more than 100 medical professionals and thousands of users, Manta is trusted by leading healthcare organizations and partners, including four of the top 15 pharmaceutical manufacturers. The content provided by Manta Cares Inc., including Hope, is intended for educational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. The company is headquartered in San Francisco and backed by Pear VC, Sozo Ventures, 1843 Capital, and strategic angels across oncology, health tech, and patient advocacy. Learn more at www.mantacares.com or go to the app store and download the Manta Cares app. About Gilead Sciences Gilead Sciences, Inc. is a biopharmaceutical company that has pursued and achieved breakthroughs in medicine for more than three decades, with the goal of creating a healthier world for all people. The company is committed to advancing innovative medicines to prevent and treat life-threatening diseases, including HIV, viral hepatitis, COVID-19, cancer and inflammation. In 2025, Gilead announced a planned $32 billion investment to further strengthen its U.S. footprint to power the next era of discovery, job creation and public health preparedness - while continuing to invest globally to ensure patients everywhere benefit from its scientific innovation. Gilead operates in more than 35 countries worldwide, with headquarters in Foster City, Calif. Media Contact Amber Moore, Moore Communications, 1 5039439381, [email protected] SOURCE Manta Cares; Gilead Sciences

Meet Hope: your AI Partner for the moments between cancer appointments. Because cancer doesn't pause when you leave the doctor's office. There's a moment almost every cancer patient knows. It's 2 a.m. A new symptom showed up. Or a question is circling in your head that you forgot to ask at your last appointment. Or you just need to understand what happens next - and your care team won't be available until Thursday. You open your phone. You type something into a search bar. And within seconds, you're swimming in information that may or may not apply to you, your cancer type, your treatment, your life. Manta Cares Inc. built Manta Cares because you deserve the right support at the right time. And today, Manta Cares Inc. is introducing Hope - a purpose-built AI Partner within the Manta Cares app, designed to support patients through the practical and emotional work of cancer. What Hope is (and what it isn't). Hope is not a search engine. It's not a generic AI chatbot. And it is not a replacement for your care team. Hope is your AI partner for the in-between - the hours, days, and weeks between appointments when questions pile up, symptoms shift, and the weight of it all can feel isolating. Hope can help you: * Track symptoms in plain language - no rigid forms, no confusing drop-downs, just a conversation * Organize your questions so you walk into your next appointment prepared, not scrambling * Get answers grounded in physician-reviewed content, tailored to your cancer type and where you are in your experience * Prepare for appointments with structure and clarity * Make sense of what's next - specific to your cancer, not someone else's * What makes Hope different is context. When you interact with Hope, it already knows your cancer type, your treatment stage, and where you are in your cancer experience. That means the support you get isn't one-size-fits-all - it's personal. Built by people who've been there. Manta Cares was founded by Samira Daswani, a cancer survivor. That origin shapes everything about how Manta Cares Inc. build. Manta Cares Inc. put patients first, full stop. Manta Cares Inc. know that a cancer diagnosis doesn't come with a manual. Manta Cares Inc. know that the system can feel overwhelming, fragmented, and deeply impersonal. And Manta Cares Inc. know that patients deserve more than a stack of printouts and a follow-up appointment six weeks out. Manta Cares was built in collaboration with more than 100 medical professionals and thousands of patients and care partners. Hope is powered by large language models and grounded in physician-reviewed content. And it's built to speak with deep empathy - because that matters just as much as accuracy. "Patients don't stop needing support when they leave the clinic," says Samira Daswani, CEO and founder of Manta Cares. "Hope is designed to meet patients in those moments: late at night, before appointments, or when new symptoms arise, with responses that reflect their personal values, concerns, and lived experience." Private, secure, and no insurance needed. Manta Cares Inc. know trust is everything when it comes to your health. Hope is private, secure, and available to you, no insurance needed. Patient data is handled through secure authentication and encrypted storage. And Hope is always transpare nt about when and how personalization is being used. If Hope doesn't have an answer, it will tell you that too. This is just the beginning. Hope is live today, and Manta Cares Inc. is already seeing it show up for patients across six critical decision moments in the cancer care experience. Manta Cares Inc. is continuing to build - deeper memory so Hope gets to know you better over time, appointment-preparation workflows, and enhanced summaries that help you reflect on symptoms and conversations between visits. Its Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Douglas Blayney, former President of ASCO, puts it simply: "Patients are already turning to the internet or general-purpose AI tools when questions come up at 2 a.m. Hope offers a private, supportive alternative - one that understands cancer from a patient's perspective and is designed specifically for this moment in a patient's life." You don't have to navigate this alone. That's the whole point of Hope. Not to replace the people caring for you. Not to have all the answers. But to be there - informed, empathetic, and ready, hen you need support most. The content provided by Manta Cares Inc., including Hope, is intended for educational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment.

Manta Cares scores $5.4M to deliver free, "treacherous hike" Cancer map. Manta Cares, a San Francisco, CA-based in a move set to radically transform how patients navigate one of life's most challenging experiences, digital health startup Manta Cares has officially launched its free cancer care navigation platform. Manta Cares was funded $5.4 million led by Pear VC and Sozo Ventures with participation from 1843 Capital and strategic angel investors including Dr. Stanley Marks, Chair of UPMC Hillman Cancer Center, is earmarked to scale the platform and expand its reach across additional cancer types. Manta Cares, founded by breast cancer survivor and entrepreneur Samira Daswani, was born from a stark personal reality: facing a disease is one battle; navigating the fragmented healthcare system is another. "Navigating cancer felt like a treacherous hike where you don't get access to a map, the right tools, or the right guides," explains Daswani. She notes that while information is abundant, the real challenge lies in distinguishing the "right from wrong, appropriate from inappropriate, relevant from irrelevant." What makes Manta Cares unique is its centerpiece: The Map. This proprietary, interactive tool offers a visual representation - often likened to a subway system - that charts the 300-500 critical decisions a patient faces, from the first suspicion through treatment and survivorship. Each "station" on the map connects the user to evidence-based resources, practical digital tools, and crucial support services. The platform is designed to bring structure, clarity, and confidence to a journey that often feels chaotic. Key features of the free, HIPAA-compliant platform include: * Interactive Cancer Maps: Step-by-step flows tailored by cancer type (currently Breast and Lung, with expansion planned) that help users anticipate what's next, understand treatment options, and make informed decisions. * Collaborative Appointment Notebooks: Tools to log questions, notes, and follow-ups in one organized place, ensuring the precious few minutes with a clinician are utilized effectively. * Symptom and Medication Trackers: Practical modules that make it easier for patients to share accurate, timely updates with their care teams. The necessity of this structured approach is highlighted by a sobering statistic Daswani shared: pharmaceutical companies invest tens of thousands of dollars per patient annually in copay assistance programs, yet less than 3% of eligible patients know these programs exist. Manta aims to connect patients with these and other financial support services precisely when they are most needed. Manta Cares emphasizes an ecosystem approach that goes beyond just the patient experience, aiming to redesign the cancer care landscape itself. This mission is validated by its existing partnerships with eight health systems, including Stanford, three of the top 15 pharmaceutical manufacturers, and 40 patient advocacy groups. The company's commitment to being "shamelessly patient-first" is non-negotiable, according to Daswani, noting the company has turned down lucrative deals that didn't align with that standard. Revenue is generated through partnerships that genuinely benefit patients, ensuring the core navigation platform remains free for patients and their care partners. The platform is gaining traction within clinical circles as well. Dr. Doug Blayney, Manta's Chief Medical Officer, former President of the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO), and a clinician with four decades of experience, ensures the platform's clinical validity. "We're not here to replace care teams - we're here to complement and support them," says Dr. Blayney. Clinicians report that patient appointments are significantly improved when patients arrive prepared using Manta's tools, adding structure and focus to the typically brief 10-minute doctor's visit. Manta Cares emphasizes an ecosystem approach that goes beyond just the patient experience, aiming to redesign the cancer care landscape itself. This mission is validated by its existing partnerships with eight health systems, including Stanford, three of the top 15 pharmaceutical manufacturers, and 40 patient advocacy groups. The company's commitment to being "shamelessly patient-first" is non-negotiable, according to Daswani, noting the company has turned down lucrative deals that didn't align with that standard. Revenue is generated through partnerships that genuinely benefit patients, ensuring the core navigation platform remains free for patients and their care partners. The platform is gaining traction within clinical circles as well. Dr. Doug Blayney, Manta's Chief Medical Officer, former President of the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO), and a clinician with four decades of experience, ensures the platform's clinical validity. "We're not here to replace care teams - we're here to complement and support them," says Dr. Blayney. Clinicians report that patient appointments are significantly improved when patients arrive prepared using Manta's tools, adding structure and focus to the typically brief 10-minute doctor's visit. Who Funded.com LLC is: Funded.com is a platform that is A+ BBB accredited over 10+ years. Access its network of Angel Investors, Venture Capital or Lenders. Let Funded.com LLC professionally write your Business Plan.