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3-2-1 Brain Tumors
Priyanka Vaidya
June 09, 2025
A brain tumor is an abnormal growth of cells within the brain, which can be benign (noncancerous) or malignant (cancerous). Tumors may originate in the brain itself (primary brain tumors) or spread from cancers elsewhere in the body (metastatic or secondary brain tumors). Symptoms vary depending on the tumor’s type, size, and location. Still, common signs include persistent headaches (often worse in the morning), seizures, changes in vision or hearing, weakness or numbness in limbs, balance problems, confusion, and personality changes. Treatment options depend on the specific tumor and may include surgery, radiation therapy, chemotherapy, targeted therapy, or a combination of these approaches. Even benign tumors can be serious if they press on vital areas of the brain, and malignant tumors tend to grow rapidly and invade surrounding tissue, making early diagnosis and multidisciplinary care essential
In 2022, an estimated 322,000 people worldwide were diagnosed with brain and central nervous system (CNS) tumors, according to the latest global data. These tumors are relatively rare compared to other cancers but are often serious and associated with high mortality.
3 startups making an impact in this space:
Company | |||
Location | US | UK | US |
Modality | Diagnosis | Therapeutics | Therapeutics |
Descriptor | FDA-approved cyber device for GBM (Glioblastoma multiforme) segmentation. | Targeted protein degradation therapies for cancer and neurological diseases, including brain tumors | NeOnc develops a platform that can potentially transport pharma-based therapeutics directly to the brain without the normal boundary restrictions imposed by the body’s Blood-Brain Barrier (BBB). |
Core Problem | Manual tumour contouring is very slow and potentially introduces human errors. | Traditional therapies transiently inhibit a single function of a protein associated with disease onset or progression. | The potential for greater success in treating CNS-based diseases such as Glioblastoma remains limited by the inability to deliver therapeutics directly to the brain. |
Solution | MRIMath’s FDA-cleared, AI-powered tool called i2Contour delineates glioblastoma tumor boundaries with pixel-level accuracy on MRI scans, predicts tumor growth, and streamlines radiological workflows to accelerate patient care. | Amphista’s targeted protein degradation (TPD) medicines are designed to use the cell’s natural waste disposal system to selectively target and remove pathogenic proteins completely from the body. | NeOnc’s proprietary technologies deliver new therapies for treating brain cancers as well as facilitating the transport of established or new therapeutics across the blood-brain barrier to improve efficacy for the treatment of diseases in the brain. |
Product Suite | Multiple products for specific tumour segmentation. | Next Gen Targeted Protein Degradation technology. | Products for potentially treating GBM tumors and enabling advanced delivery of therapeutics. |
Regulatory Status | FDA-approved for GBM. | Not yet | FDA fast-track status |
Funding Stage | Seed | Series B | Series A |
Team | Entrepreneurs and Professors | Highly experienced life science management professionals. | Physician entrepreneurs |
Traction | Strong early traction and research partnerships. | Strong traction. | Strong traction. |
2 actionable insights to inspire your strategy.
Advanced Imaging AI/ML algorithms improve tumor segmentation and localization in MRI scans, achieving >99% accuracy in preclinical models. These tools correct imaging artifacts and integrate multimodal data (e.g., genomics, histopathology) for holistic tumor characterization. Hybrid PET/MRI Systems: Combine metabolic and structural data to distinguish tumors from treatment-related changes, enhancing diagnostic specificity. | Advanced Drug Delivery AI tools decode tumor DNA during surgery, providing molecular insights to guide resection extent and on-the-spot drug delivery. Nanotechnology: Drug-loaded nanoparticles deliver treatments directly to tumors, improving survival in models of medulloblastoma. Blood-Brain Barrier Penetration: Innovations in targeted therapies enable drugs to cross the BBB, suppressing glioblastoma and metastases in preclinical trials. |
1 key resource to deepen your understanding.
To hear more about the role of biomarkers in brain tumour diagnosis and treatment, take a listen to this episode from the Brain Tumor Talk:
And that’s all for today. See you next Monday!
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