A blood test that hunts for cancer by analyzing genetic material shed by tumors into the bloodstream has received a patent from the Indian patent office, the developer Strand Life Sciences announced. The Bengaluru-based life sciences company said the patent, granted July 7, covers a technology that integrates high-quality genome sequencing, rigorous quality control, biologically informed methylation and fragmentomic feature extraction, and machine learning to detect malignancy and predict where in the body the cancer started.
Capturing Methylation Patterns Across the Genome
The core innovation, according to the company, lies in the platform’s ability to capture widespread methylation pattern changes across the genome with minimal loss or failure. Methylation changes are a hallmark of cancer, and reliably detecting them is critical for sensitive early-stage diagnosis.
The platform uses cell-free DNA analysis from a simple blood draw — a liquid biopsy approach that, the company said, could replace invasive tissue biopsies for early detection. Tissue biopsies can be painful, risky, and sometimes inaccessible, particularly for patients in remote or underserved areas. A non-invasive blood test that can detect cancer and pinpoint its origin may expand screening options and reduce delays in treatment by offering a simpler first step in diagnosis.
The patent specifically covers the proprietary integration of fragmentomic features with methylation data. Fragmentomics refers to the analysis of the size, pattern, and distribution of DNA fragments in the blood.
By combining this information with methylation profiles, the platform aims to identify cancer-related changes with higher accuracy. The tissue-of-origin prediction feature, if validated in larger trials, could give Strand a differentiation edge over competitors that only offer cancer detection without localization.
From Prenatal Testing to Cancer Detection
The concept of analyzing cell-free DNA in blood dates back to prenatal testing, where fetal DNA circulating in maternal blood was found to enable non-invasive genetic screening. This discovery showed that fragments of DNA released from cells could be detected and studied without invasive procedures.
Over time, researchers recognized that similar fragments shed by tumors might also circulate in the bloodstream, opening the door to liquid biopsy methods for cancer detection. The Delfi platform, as the technology is known, uses this principle to examine cell-free DNA in blood to identify cancer-related genetic changes. The technology’s ability to predict the tissue-of-origin of a cancer could help clinicians determine where a tumor started without resorting to surgical biopsies.
This capability addresses a key limitation of many liquid biopsy tests, which can detect the presence of cancer but not its location. For now, the patent marks a regulatory milestone.
The next question is whether the technology can move from the patent office to the clinic — and how quickly it can reach patients who currently lack access to non-invasive cancer screening.
Commercial Path Yet to Be Announced
Strand Life Sciences has not disclosed commercial launch timelines or pricing for the test. The company’s announcement focused on the intellectual property milestone rather than a specific product rollout. The platform’s differentiation — combining cancer detection with tissue-of-origin prediction — positions it in a competitive landscape where some liquid biopsy tests offer only detection without localization. Validation in larger trials will be essential before the technology can gain regulatory approval beyond the patent.
The background of cell-free DNA analysis, established through prenatal testing, provides a scientific foundation. However, translating that concept into a reliable cancer screening tool requires addressing challenges such as low levels of tumor-derived DNA in early-stage disease and distinguishing cancer-related methylation changes from normal biological variation.
Strand’s patented integration of fragmentomics and methylation data, supported by machine learning, is designed to address these challenges. The company now faces the task of moving from a patented method to a clinically validated product that can reach patients who currently depend on invasive biopsies for early cancer diagnosis.
