Phase Scientific Showcases Urine-Based HPV Testing at China's Self-Sampling Cervical Cancer Screening Expert Symposium, Gains Strong Clinical Endorsement Ahead of IPO

On March 2, 2025, the “Expert Symposium on Self-Sampling for Cervical Cancer Screening in China,” co-hosted by authoritative institutions including the Colposcopy and Cervical Pathology Branch of the Chinese Society for Reproductive Health (CSCCP), was held in Shenzhen. Focusing on “Implementation and Optimization of Self-Sampling HPV Testing for Cervical Cancer Screening,” the conference brought together more than 100 renowned experts from across China in the fields of gynecologic oncology and public health to jointly explore how technological innovation can break through bottlenecks in cervical cancer screening.

Cervical cancer is the second most common gynecologic malignancy in China. In China, on average, one woman is diagnosed with cervical cancer every five minutes, and one woman dies from it every ten minutes. Both the incidence and mortality rates of cervical cancer are on the rise.

The World Health Organization has proposed the “90-70-90” global strategic goal for eliminating cervical cancer, with “70% of women undergoing high-performance screening before ages 35 and 45” as a key component. China has embarked on an accelerated path toward cervical cancer elimination; however, Professor Wang Linhong from Peking University People’s Hospital pointed out at a conference that, as of 2019, the cervical cancer screening coverage rate among women aged 20–64 in China was 29.5%, and 36.8% among those aged 35–64, while 64% of the national population had never undergone cervical cancer screening.

There is still a significant gap to reach the interim target of 70% screening coverage by 2030, and the task of prevention and control remains arduous. The low screening rateOne of the primary reasons is that traditional cervical cancer screening relies on physician-collected samples from the cervix, which presents practical challenges such as privacy concerns and insufficient primary healthcare resources.

 “Expert Symposium on Self-Sampling for Cervical Cancer Screening in China” Conference Venue

 Group Photo of Participating Experts

Address by Professor Wei Lihui, Chair of the Chinese Society for Colposcopy and Cervical Pathology (CSCCP), Peking University People’s Hospital

Address by Academician Ma Ding, Member of the Chinese Academy of Engineering and Director of the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Tongji Hospital Affiliated to Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology

 Expert lectures and thematic presentations were delivered by Professor Wei Lihui, Professor Wang Linhong, Professor Jerome L. Belinson, Professor Zhao Fanghui, Professor Wu Ruifang, and others.

An innovative, non-invasive testing technology that balances high accuracy with broad screening coverage is urgently needed.

PHASE Scientific, a representative enterprise of innovative technologies, unveiled its independently developed “DNA Concentration Technology and Urine Testing Solution” at the specialized seminar., the conference was chaired by the Director of the Center for Obstetrics and Gynecology at Peking University Shenzhen HospitalProfessor Li ChangzhongModerator, Chair of the Chinese Society of Colposcopy and Cervical Pathology (CSCCP), Peking University People's HospitalProfessor Wei Lihui, Director of the Department of Epidemiology, National Cancer Center/Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical SciencesProfessor Fanghui Zhao, Chair of the Women's Health Care Branch of the Chinese Preventive Medicine AssociationProf. Wang Linhong, former Director of Obstetrics and Gynecology at Cleveland Clinic in the United States, and President of the International Union Against CancerProfessor Jerome Belison, Professor at Peking University and Director of the Institute of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Peking University Shenzhen HospitalProf. Wu Ruifang, Chair of the Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, The University of Hong KongProfessor Chen JialunNumerous experts attended the event in person to participate in discussions and offered high praise.

At the seminar,Dr. Zhao Yantao, Founder and CEO of PHASE Scientific, Delivers a Presentation on “PHASiFY™ DNA Concentration Technology and Its Application in Urine Testing”This section introduces PHASiFY™, a DNA concentration technology independently developed by Phase Scientific, and its application in self-collected urine testing. The PHASiFY™ technology employs a unique biphasic separation system to precisely capture DNA targets in urine, overcoming the limitations of traditional screening methods. To date, this technology has been granted more than 50 patents worldwide and its reliability has been validated in multiple international clinical studies.

 Dr. Zhao Yantao, Founder and CEO of PHASE Scientific, Delivers a Special Presentation

Professor Li Changzhong, Executive Chair of the Conference and Director of the Center for Obstetrics and Gynecology at Peking University Shenzhen Hospital, delivered a presentation titled “Sharing Clinical Trial Experience on DNA Condensation Technology for Urine-Based HPV Testing in Cervical Cancer Screening”, and stated: "PHASiFY™ Technology Effectively Enhances the Sensitivity of Urine-Based HPV Testing, holding broad application prospects. By efficiently concentrating viral DNA in urine, it not only addresses the industry pain point of insufficient sensitivity in traditional screening, but also mitigates low screening rates in various scenarios, such as regions with scarce medical resources and populations undergoing follow-up testing for HPV positivity.

 Professor Li Changzhong, Executive Chair of the Conference and Director of the Center for Obstetrics and Gynecology at Peking University Shenzhen Hospital, Delivered a Thematic Presentation

Clinical sensitivity and concordance data from over 1,000 cases, released at the symposium, sparked heated discussion. A comparative analysis by the team from Peking University Shenzhen Hospital revealed:Urine HPV Testing Based on PHASiFY Technology Compared with the US FDA-Approved Roche Cobas 4800 HPV Test Using Medical Swabs, the sensitivity of PHASiFY™ urine test for HPV-16/18-positive CIN2+ is comparable to that of Roche Cobas,The sensitivity for detecting mixed infections of 12 other high-risk HPV types associated with CIN2+ was 93.42%, which is higher than that of the Roche Cobas assay.

Professor Li Changzhong revealed at the conference: “The findings of this study were awarded the “Thomas V. Sedlacek, M.D. Best Clinical Research Abstract Award” at the 2025 Annual Meeting of the American Society for Colposcopy and Cervical Pathology (ASCCP). The results achieved through the study’s proprietary urine concentration technology (PHASiFY™) and detection platform have generated significant excitement and considerable interest within the global academic community.”

The “Chinese Expert Consensus on the Use of Vaginal Self-Sampling for High-Risk Human Papillomavirus Testing in Cervical Cancer Screening,” most recently released in January 2025, states:Recent studies on urine self-sampling methods have demonstrated improved sensitivity, specificity, and concordance compared with vaginal self-sampling and clinician-collected sampling. Due to its convenience, non-invasive nature, and ease of widespread adoption, this approach holds broad prospects for clinical application.

At the seminar, Peking University Shenzhen HospitalProf. Qu XinfengIt points out: “This technology makes ‘home-based screening’ possible.”Currently, in the screening pilots conducted in Guangdong and Guangxi, the acceptance rate of urine-based HPV testing among participants exceeded 95%.

Professor Wei Lihui emphasized at the conference that China continues to face a substantial burden of cervical cancer, and the promotion of self-sampling screening technology is a key strategy for future prevention and control.

Despite significant achievements, experts have pointed out that the promotion of this technology needs to overcome three major challenges: first, establishing national quality control standards for urine sample collection and transportation; second, including self-sampling tests in the medical insurance catalog; and third, strengthening public science education to eliminate the misconception that "urine tests are inaccurate."

“Technological innovation must serve the health of the people,” the meeting concluded.“This technology demonstrates the robust capabilities of China’s biotechnology sector. The next step requires collaborative efforts among government, industry, academia, and research institutions to transform it into an accessible tool for public benefit, offering a Chinese solution for global cervical cancer prevention and control.”

“PHASiFYTMDNA Concentration Technology and Urine Testing Application” Seminar Site

Dr. Zhaoyan Tao, Founder and CEO of PHASE Scientific, shared the development journey of the company’s core technology in an interview with VCBeat: “This core technology originated from my idea during my doctoral studies at UCLA in the United States. It is a sample processing technique. In traditional practices for any type of in vitro diagnostic testing, a significant amount of sample is often wasted. Our enrichment technology leverages thermodynamic properties to rapidly partition an entire urine sample into countless micro-compartments for molecular screening, thereby enabling high-level concentration of the target analyte—HPV DNA. This approach allows us to concentrate the target from a full cup of urine down to just a few drops of essence, facilitating accurate detection without any waste.”

Dr. Zhao Yantao, Founder and CEO of PHASE Scientific, was interviewed by the media at the venue.

Guan Xin, General Manager of PHASE Scientific China, stated in an interview: “We will collaborate closely with leading experts and institutions both domestically and internationally to fully leverage the unique advantages of PHASiFY™ technology, particularly in home-based testing scenarios such as self-collected urine samples. We aim to build a precision health solutions service platform grounded in ‘life sciences + serious healthcare + general wellness’ and driven by ‘diagnostic big data + personalized interventions,’ thereby promoting the widespread adoption of early cancer screening and contributing Chinese expertise to global health initiatives.”

Guan Xin further pointed out that while the market for early cancer screening is growing rapidly, significant challenges remain in educating users to develop awareness of proactive screening and health management, as well as the relevant knowledge and ability to evaluate products. PHASE Scientific aims to empower the development of the early screening industry through innovative technologies.

 Guan Xin, General Manager of Phase Scientific China, Accepts Media Interviews at the Venue

PHASE Scientific is an international biotechnology company headquartered in Hong Kong, China. By actively developing innovative diagnostic tools and services for cancer and various infectious diseases, the company is committed to providing better health management solutions for the general public. With R&D and operational centers in Southern California, USA, and Shenzhen, China, PHASE Scientific integrates global resources to drive the translation and application of cutting-edge technologies.

Dr. Zhao Yantao, Founder and CEO of PHASE Scientific, holds a Ph.D. in Bioengineering from the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA). He has achieved multiple breakthroughs in the fields of liquid biopsy and rapid testing, and has been honored with numerous awards, including being named one of the Ten Outstanding Young Persons of the World and a Hong Kong Innovation Leader.

PHASE Scientific’s innovative technology has not only gained widespread recognition in China but also attracted significant attention in the international market. The company plans to roll out its PHASiFY™ technology globally over the next few years, providing users worldwide with convenient and accurate at-home testing solutions.

For more details, please visit the company’s official website: https://phasescientific.com/sc