Our mission is to save lives through early detection of Lynch syndrome with easy and accurate diagnostic method.
One of the main single causes of colorectal and endometrial cancers, Lynch syndrome, i.e. inherited mismatch repair (MMR) deficiency, is carried by up to 1/279 of the population*.
Lynch syndrome (LS) is inherited with 50% probability within affected families. Each year, there are 3.5 million new cancer cases within LS spectrum.
Individuals with inherited MMR deficiency have more than 70% risk of developing colorectal cancer, compared to 2% in the general population on a global scale.
The DiagMMR® method developed by LS CancerDiag Ltd is a non-invasive test to detect LS carriers, enabling preventive care and helping save lives.
LS CancerDiag Ltd is committed to reducing cancer mortality rates with a low-cost, simple diagnostic method that detects an inherited cancer-causing condition prior to cancer. Our vision is to see DiagMMR® as a new global testing standard in LS diagnostics.
Lynch syndrome is the main cause of hereditary colorectal cancers and it also causes a broad spectrum of other tumors. With a significant proportion of the world’s population carrying the Lynch syndrome mutation, there are potentially tens of millions under a severe risk for being affected by LS.
Our groundbreaking DiagMMR® assay is an easy functional test that can be used for diagnosis of MMR deficiency i.e. Lynch syndrome (previously known as Hereditary NonPolyposis Colorectal Cancer; HNPCC).
Our mission is to save lives through an innovation that dramatically simplifies diagnostics of Lynch syndrome by delivering predictive and accurate results with a fast, unique and cost-efficient method globally.
Founder and Chairman
Professor Nyström is the leading inventor of DiagMMR® with more than 20 years of experience in the field of Lynch syndrome research and has had an active role in both the identification of the LS related genes and mutations as well as the bettering of LS recognition through over 50 scientific publications in the field. Prof. Nyström is an active member of the International Society for Gastrointestinal Hereditary Tumours, InSiGHT.
R&D Director
Dr. Kansikas has worked on Lynch syndrome research in Prof. Nyström ́s lab for over 10 years and is a co-inventor of DiagMMR®. Her doctoral thesis, “Recognizing Lynch syndrome by DNA mismatch repair deficiency” focused on pathogenicity assessment and interpretation of LS associated mutations and functional detection of reduced mismatch repair.
Production Manager
Dr. Vähätalo is responsible for the laboratory production of the DiagMMR® assay, as well as the interpretation and management of the results. In addition to the production management, she also specializes in the quantitative detection method. She has extensive experience in molecular biology techniques and biomedical research.
Researcher
MSc Kasela works as a researcher in LS CancerDiag Ltd and specializes in the functional assessment of MMR proteins. She has broad experience in MMR research, cell culture and biotechnology.
CFO
Mr. Lahti is responsible for managing the strategy and financials of the company and leads the commercialization of the DiagMMR®. He has experience from investment banking and other industries before joining LS CancerDiag Ltd.
Laboratory Director
Dr. Kantelinen has worked on DNA mismatch repair research in Prof. Nyström ́s lab for over 12 years. His doctoral thesis, “Functional characterization of MutS homologue mismatch repair proteins and their variants” focused on functional characterization of LS mutations and the key molecular components of the MMR mechanism.
Quality Manager
Dr. Putula has vast experience in cell culture and works to ensure the meticulous handling of patient samples from sampling to testing. In addition to coordinating the sample handling and running the cell culture processes, she assists with other processes of the DiagMMR® testing.
Researcher
MSc Moilanen works as a researcher in the team. Her role is central in producing the molecular components used in DiagMMR®. She has broad experience in molecular biology techniques and also contributes to the cell culture processes and other functions of the lab.
DiagMMR® is designed to be a predictive diagnostic tool that enables preventive follow-up and counselling for affected mutation carriers who are at high risk for developing Lynch syndrome related cancers. While current LS diagnosis relies on tumor studies, the quantitative DiagMMR® method allows carrier diagnosis based on a non-invasive tissue sample before the person has developed a cancer, without the knowledge and details of an inherited mutation.
The DiagMMR® innovation has several outstanding benefits compared to the current diagnostic tools:
Inherited MMR deficiency, i.e. Lynch syndrome, gives rise to a broad spectrum of tumors, especially colorectal and endometrial cancers, but also ovarian, gastric, urinary, small bowel, brain and bile duct/gallbladder cancers. The history of international Lynch syndrome research can be traced back to 1895 and the discovery of a family cancer syndrome. The disease was characterized by Henry T. Lynch in 1966 and came to be known as Hereditary NonPolyposis Colorectal Cancer (HNPCC), which in honour of Dr. Lynch’s findings, was later termed Lynch syndrome. The molecular genetics era began in 1993 when a germline MMR gene mutation was identified as a cause of LS. Currently Lynch syndrome research is being actively carried out worldwide, with an approach that focuses on obtaining a deeper understanding of the molecular mechanism behind LS, enabling preventive diagnosis and personalized medical care.
The DiagMMR® innovation is based on more than 20 years of academic research at the University of Helsinki, where the functional MMR assay research and development has resulted in 7 PhDs and 30 original peer-reviewed publications in the 2000's. DiagMMR® is an advanced application of an in vitro MMR assay used for the functional characterization of MMR gene mutations.
LS CancerDiag Ltd c/o Terkko Health Hub
Haartmaninkatu 4, Building 14, 00290 Helsinki
Finland
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