New saliva tests can enable early detection and diagnosis of COVID-19, head & neck cancer

Reviewed by Emily Henderson, B.Sc.Oct 15 2020

Summit Biolabs, Inc., an early-stage molecular diagnostics company specializing in saliva-based testing for COVID-19 and head & neck cancer, and the Colorado Center for Personalized Medicine (CCPM) at the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus announced today a broad strategic collaboration involving research, development and commercialization of saliva liquid-biopsy tests for early cancer detection and diagnosis of COVID-19 and other viral contagions.

The CCPM holds one of the largest research biobanks in the United States with clinical data from more than 8.7 million de-identified patient records and plans to integrate the data with personalized genomic information.

This partnership brings two innovative programs together to optimize COVID testing at a time when it's desperately needed. Collaborations like this are crucial in moving research forward and advancing and expanding clinical testing to as many members of our community as possible.

Working with Summit Biolabs, and leveraging technology developed by our colleagues here at the Anschutz Medical Campus, will help us achieve these goals and establish a non-invasive testing process that will benefit patients in Colorado and beyond."

Kathleen Barnes, Ph.D., Professor and Director of CCPM, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus

Summit Biolabs is developing breakthrough tests to improve the detection of COVID-19 and to advance the early detection of human cancers, including head & neck cancer, using simple, non-invasive saliva liquid-biopsy technology developed by Dr. Shi-Long Lu and colleagues at the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus. Head & neck cancer has been scientifically overlooked, yet is medically important.

Summit Biolabs' research foundation and competency in head & neck cancer diagnosis enabled the company's pivot to saliva-based testing for coronavirus, COVID-19.

"We are excited to collaborate with CCPM to develop and commercialize Summit Biolabs' portfolio of developmental saliva or non-blood liquid-biopsy tests." said Bob Blomquist, Chief Executive Officer at Summit Biolabs. "This collaboration broadens and strengthens Summit Biolabs' ability to bring to market life-changing saliva liquid-biopsy tests that ultimately enable better treatment and improved outcomes for patients."