Vincere Cancer Center Begins Recruitment for Clinical Studies of Pioneering Breast Cancer Screen for Women at High Risk

US cancer center partners with Syantra Inc. for further testing of Onco-ID Breast, a whole blood mRNA test for hyper-early cancer detection

CALGARY, AB, Dec. 9, 2025 /CNW/ - Syantra, Inc., a biotechnology company revolutionizing cancer detection, is announcing Scottsdale, Arizona based Vincere Cancer Center has launched recruitment for clinical testing to evaluate the performance of Syantra's multi-target whole blood mRNA Onco-ID^TM Breast, a test for screening women at elevated risk. This study is funded through the Congressionally Directed Medical Research Program (CDMRP) to the University of Calgary in collaboration with Weill Cornell Medicine.

Syantra's Onco-ID Breast test is a novel whole blood technology that utilizes a panel of mRNA biomarkers, custom reagents and machine learning algorithms to detect breast cancer at hyper-early stage.

Vincere is part of a multi-center study led by Massimo Cristofanilli, MD, at Weill Cornell Medicine in collaboration with Professor Kristina Rinker, PhD, co-Principal Investigator at the University of Calgary and Cofounder of Syantra Inc. The study aims to generate additional evidence to support clinical implementation of, and market access for, the Onco-ID Breast test in a US population. The longitudinal, non-interventional multicenter study will involve 2,000 women, aged 30-75, with an elevated risk of developing breast cancer. The study includes a specific focus on women with dense breasts, which impacts about 50% of all women, and which often makes cancer detection through traditional methods (such as mammography) difficult.

"Detection of breast cancer at early stages is critical for improving outcomes," said Dr. Rinker. "Breast cancer has a 99% five-year survival rate when detected at the earliest invasive stage. However, many women, such as those with dense breasts, do not have their breast cancers detected early."

Despite a 43% reduction in breast cancer mortality between 1989 and 2020, an estimated 43,250 deaths from breast cancer are expected in the US alone this year.

"Breast cancer incidence is increasing in younger women, and it's young women who are most likely to have dense breasts, so therefore they are challenging to detect at an early stage," said Dr. Cristofanilli, professor of medicine and director of breast medical oncology in the Division of Hematology and Medical Oncology at Weill Cornell Medicine. "A blood test could complement existing guideline-recommended screening to potentially increase the detection at an earlier stage with a positive blood test indicating recommendation for follow-up diagnostic breast imaging."

"Early detection remains our most powerful tool in fighting breast cancer," said Vershalee Shukla, MD, site lead and Cofounder at Vincere Cancer Center. "Onco-ID Breast has the potential to improve the tools available for identifying breast cancer earlier for all women, including those located remotely and those needing more frequent testing such as those at elevated risk."

According to recent American Cancer Society data, breast cancer continues to disproportionately affect minority populations, with non-Hispanic Black women facing a 40% higher mortality rate despite lower incidence compared to non-Hispanic White women.

"We are excited to have Vincere Cancer Center as our first recruitment site for this increasingly relevant study, highlighting their commitment to providing access to participate in leading clinical studies and technologies for cancer detection to their community," said Dr. Rinker.

Syantra's breast cancer test is built on its patent-pending platform Onco-ID^TM, which leverages signals from the body's immune system. It detects the presence of an active cancer signature by quantifying the expression of a unique combination of genes through a custom multiplexed qPCR process. Data is then analyzed with proprietary software that includes machine learning-derived algorithms. The test is anticipated to be used as an adjunct to mammography and in women not currently screening.

The study will also investigate how ethnicity, geography, and individual characteristics affect test performance to support future test use and development.

For more information about the study, please contact www.syantra.com.

About Vincere Cancer Center
Founded in 2017 by oncologist Dr. Vershalee Shukla and surgeon Dr. Pablo Prichard, Vincere Cancer Center is a premier destination for early detection, precision oncology, and holistic cancer care. Headquartered in Scottsdale, Arizona, Vincere blends technology, compassion, and innovation to deliver faster diagnoses and better outcomes. For more information, visit https://vincerecancer.com.

About Syantra
Founded by a Calgary-based team of innovators in biomedical engineering and medicine and supported by world-leading clinicians, Syantra Inc. is a privately held, precision biotechnology company pioneering a platform to change the way cancer is detected and managed. For more information, visit https://www.syantra.com. 

SOURCE Syantra Inc.

Media contact:  Rob Lozuk ([email protected])