TumorFisher Files IPO Prospectus: A Pioneer in Nanomedicine-Based Early Cancer Detection and Leader of P4 Medicine in China
The image shows Hu Zhiyuan delivering a roadshow presentation at the Medical Partner Competition.
At the recently concluded Medical Partner Competition, the “Tumor Hunter” team emerged as the favorite of “Mr. PPT.” Winning the championship in the medical technology category underscores Mr. PPT’s strong confidence in the broad prospects of this technology, while the “Most Publicly Attended Award” demonstrates that early cancer screening and liquid biopsy have garnered close attention and favor from entrepreneurs and investors present at the event.
As stated in the mission of this competition: integrate advantageous resources in the medical field, improve the construction of the medical ecosystem, promote collaboration and win-win outcomes among all parties, explore innovative medical models that effectively benefit Chinese patients, and thereby drive the vigorous development of China’s healthcare and wellness industry. Leveraging its advanced technological strengths, Tumor Hunter can detect early-stage cancer through blood tests, offering a safe, non-invasive, sensitive, and reliable solution.
P4Practice of the Model in China
Several years ago, the P4 medicine model was implemented in the United States. Against the backdrop of advancements in medical technology, a paradigm shift in health concepts, and the advent of the big data era, modern medicine is undergoing an innovative revolution, with the P4 medicine model representing the cutting-edge direction of this development.
The P4 medical concept refers to: Predictive, Preventive, Personalized, and Participatory.
The P4 medical model refers to the rapid and scientific collection of comprehensive data—including genetic, medical, and lifestyle information—from healthy individuals and at-risk patients, leveraging rapidly advancing internet technologies. This process creates a personalized health data cloud for each individual. By utilizing cutting-edge systems biology platforms to effectively synthesize and analyze these complex datasets, the model enables precise diagnosis and targeted therapy, while providing personalized prevention and treatment plans. This approach advocates for active public participation, drives innovation in medical practices, and delivers more convenient, effective, and comprehensive end-to-end health management services to users.
This concept was initiated and put into practice by Dr. Leroy Hood, founder of the Institute for Systems Biology (ISB) in the United States; a member of four U.S. academies—the National Academy of Sciences, the National Academy of Engineering, the National Academy of Medicine, and the American Academy of Arts and Sciences; a recipient of numerous top awards in life sciences; and a leading figure in the high-tech biomedical industry.
Dr. Hu Zhiyuan, the founder of Tumor Catcher, had the privilege of studying under Academician Leroy Hood for many years. Upon returning to China, Dr. Hu brought this innovative concept back and co-founded Zhongke Natai Biotechnology Co., Ltd. with several colleagues, dedicated to benefiting a broad user base by applying the most advanced international medical concepts and technologies.
Precision Screening for Early-Stage Tumors
China accounts for one-fifth of the world’s population, yet its cancer incidence rate constitutes one-quarter of the global total, and its mortality rate accounts for one-third.
In 2015, there were approximately 4.29 million new cancer cases and 2.81 million cancer-related deaths in China. A comparison of the five-year cancer survival rates among the United States, Japan, and China reveals that China’s rate is significantly lower than that of developed countries such as the United States and Japan, standing at only around 40%.
The primary reason for this predicament lies in the insufficient awareness of cancer among the Chinese population and the lack of established general knowledge regarding regular screening for cancer prevention.
Studies indicate that it takes at least ten years for a tumor to progress from the first malignant cell to the onset of symptoms. While the cure rate for early-stage tumors can exceed 90%, current conventional methods fail to accurately detect tumors at this early stage. Although genetic testing can identify cancer in its very early phases, it suffers from an extremely high false-positive rate, which can cause unnecessary anxiety among those tested and lacks clinical significance. Traditional PET-CT scans can detect mid-stage tumors; however, the procedure itself is invasive and harmful, making it unsuitable for cancer screening in healthy populations. Furthermore, more traditional ultrasound techniques can only detect late-stage cancer, by which point the diagnosis often holds little therapeutic value for the patient.
“Tumor Hunter” technology enables cancer screening for healthy individuals and those at high risk by capturing and isolating circulating tumor cells (CTCs)—cancer cells that detach from tumors and enter the circulatory system—from peripheral blood using proprietary peptide-coated magnetic nanoparticles. Furthermore, by detecting CTCs in peripheral blood, this technology provides robust monitoring of prognosis and evaluation of treatment efficacy in cancer patients. Through screening, Tumor Hunter aims to raise the cure rate for advanced-stage cancers from 10% to over 90% by facilitating early detection, diagnosis, and treatment, thereby transforming cancer from an incurable disease into a manageable one.
As a biomarker, circulating tumor cells (CTCs) have garnered attention from the international scientific community due to their early appearance and high specificity. However, their extremely low abundance in peripheral blood makes capture highly challenging. Currently, only Johnson & Johnson’s product has obtained FDA clearance worldwide.
More than 10 in 1 mL of blood9Among billions of blood cells, there are only a few circulating tumor cells (CTCs). The high-sensitivity detection capability of TumorFisher can identify tumors when the tumor tissue is merely 1–5 mm in size, significantly outperforming conventional PET-CT technology (which typically detects tumors larger than 5 mm). Additionally, it offers high specificity, non-invasive testing, and a broad range of indications. This aligns with the meaning implied by its English name, TumorFisher: if 1 mL of blood is viewed as a lake, CTCs are akin to the sole predatory fish in that lake; amidst a billion grass carp, TumorFisher can accurately capture this single predatory fish.
In 2015, the “Tumor Hunter” team completed a total of 1,000 CTC tests. In 2016, it is expected to complete 50,000 CTC testing services.
Currently, the “Tumor Hunter” team has collaborated with medical institutions such as the Cancer Hospital of the Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Peking University Cancer Hospital, and the PLA General Hospitals (301, 302, and 307) to conduct clinical research. The results indicate that the technology’s sensitivity and specificity for high-incidence malignant tumors—including lung cancer, breast cancer, liver cancer, and other gastrointestinal cancers—have reached an internationally advanced level.
A Team from the National Center for Nanoscience and Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences
The “Tumor Hunter” technology was developed by four distinguished overseas-returnee scientists—Hu Zhiyuan, Yang Yanlian, Fang Qiaojun, and Wang Hao—from the National Center for Nanoscience and Technology of the Chinese Academy of Sciences. Supported by the CAS Strategic Priority Research Program and the Beijing Municipal Science & Technology Commission’s Leading and Advantageous Materials Project, they spent many years in research and development to successfully create a peptide-based nanomagnetic bead technology for capturing and isolating circulating tumor cells, with independent intellectual property rights.
Dr. Hu Zhiyuan, head of the “Tumor Catcher” technical team and founder and chairman of Zhongke Natai, earned his degree from the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine in the United States. He conducted postdoctoral research in the laboratory of Academician Leroy Hood and subsequently served as a scientist at the Institute for Systems Biology in the U.S., where he focused on developing new technologies in proteomics. Additionally, Dr. Hu serves as a reviewer for medical device evaluations at the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Since returning to China in 2010, Dr. Hu has been a researcher under the Chinese Academy of Sciences’ “Hundred Talents Program,” holding positions as professor and doctoral supervisor at the National Center for Nanoscience and Technology. Since his return, Dr. Hu has led his team in developing multiple patented technologies in the field of nanomedicine.
Currently, the R&D team of Tumor Catcher comprises more than 20 senior and mid-level core researchers holding doctoral degrees or higher, along with over 100 technical support staff possessing bachelor’s degrees or above.
At the Medical Partners Competition, Dr. Hu Zhiyuan stated that he hopes to leverage this event as an opportunity to actively explore potential areas and models of collaboration with the four organizing enterprises. By fostering exchanges and cooperation on the myriad issues present in China’s healthcare market, they aim to address the critical pain points faced by healthcare practitioners, medical service institutions, and healthcare investors.
Dr. Hu recommends that Tumor Catcher jointly launch the “Sunshine Healthcare” initiative with Pfizer China, leveraging the distinct advantages of Tumor Catcher’s technology in early cancer screening, prognosis monitoring, and treatment efficacy assessment to promote the concept of “precision medicine” in China, thereby helping Pfizer China become a leader in the Chinese precision medicine market; collaborate with Ping An Insurance to promote the “Sunshine Worry-Free” program, develop new cancer prevention or elderly care insurance products, enable broader access to Tumor Catcher’s technology for individuals to make prudent investments in their health, and establish a series of collaborations with Ping An in the field of health big data; partner with Tencent on the “Sunshine Information” initiative to disseminate medical knowledge on early cancer prevention and control through Tencent’s internet public welfare platform, and jointly build a “Health Internet” medical community with Tencent; meanwhile, engage in the “Sunshine Capital” program with Legend Capital in terms of strategy and capital investment, facilitating the strategic deployment and long-term development of Tumor Catcher’s technology.