A new era in oncology care: monitoring without radiation

Cancer diagnostics is undergoing a quiet but decisive transformation. Across oncology, clinicians are moving away from imaging-heavy follow-up protocols toward molecular diagnostics that can detect disease earlier, more safely, and with far less burden on patients.

One area where this shift is urgently needed is testicular cancer, a disease diagnosed in more than 70,000 men globally each year, most commonly between ages 20 and 45. While survival rates are high, up to half of patients experience relapse, making accurate long-term monitoring essential.

Why current monitoring methods fall short

For decades, testicular cancer follow-up has relied on two imperfect tools widely recognized in clinical practice

• Serum tumor markers (AFP, β-hCG, LDH) detect only around 50% of relapses, according to clinical studies.
• CT scans, which identify anatomical changes only once disease progression is already visible, often after the optimal moment for intervention.

Research shows that this combination leads to diagnosticuncertainty, delayed detection of relapse, and frequent false positives thattrigger repeat imaging or unnecessary procedures. For patients, many of whomare in their 20s and 30s, cumulative radiation exposure is a lifelong concern.For healthcare systems, the reliance on repeated CT scans adds cost, strain,and operational inefficiencies.

As molecular diagnostics gain traction, these limitationshave become increasingly evident: imaging-heavy protocols no longer align withthe precision, safety, or accessibility expected in modern oncology.

mir|detect and the rise of microRNA-based diagnostics

mir|detect addresses this medical gap with the first CE-approved (IVDR) microRNA blood test for testicular cancer, enabling accurate detection and relapse monitoring through a simple blood draw. The test measures miR-371a-3p - a biomarker shown in clinical research to outperform traditional serum markers by a wide margin.

Because the assay integrates directly into standard qPCR laboratory workflows, it requires no new equipment and minimal training. Adoption is frictionless, results are quantitative and easy to interpret, and clinicians gain a clearer view of disease activity without exposing patients to radiation or contrast agents.

mir|detect’s proprietary panta|Q platform further enhances detection accuracy by improving signal consistency in low-abundance nucleic acid samples, which is a long-standing challenge in liquid biopsy. This technology also forms the foundation for the company’s broader pipeline, now expanding into prostate, bladder, and renal cancers where additional diagnostic innovation is still needed.

Regulatory validation, scientific leadership, and global scale

The company’s momentum is reinforced by strong external validation, including FDA Breakthrough Device Designation, broad patent protection across major global markets, and partnerships with leading oncologists, urologists, and pathology labs across Europe.

In 2026, mir|detect will launch a plasma-based version of its test, enabling room-temperature shipment and processing up to 48 hours after blood collection. This simplifies logistics dramatically and opens the door to broader adoption in outpatient settings, urology practices, and clinics that cannot support frozen sample handling.

mir|detect is led by CEO & Founder Dr. Nina Winter,who brings extensive experience in molecular diagnostics and biotechnology. Sheis supported by a seasoned team of scientists, regulatory specialists, andcommercial leaders, along with an advisory board of internationally recognizedoncology and molecular diagnostics experts. Their combined experience spansassay design, clinical interpretation, laboratory medicine, and internationalmarket access, forming a strong foundation for scaling a next-generationmolecular diagnostics platform.

Investment opportunity

With its round now open on SeedBlink, mir|detect is raising capital to accelerate clinical adoption, expand distribution partnerships across Europe, and finalize development of its 2026 plasma-based test, a pivotal milestone for global scalability.

Explore the round and join mir|detect’s mission to bring radiation-free, high-precision cancer monitoring to patients worldwide.