ErlySign

ErlySign, the brand name for CURO Biosciences Private Limited, is a Nagpur-based biotechnology company developing at-home diagnostic test kits. The company, founded in 2019 by Shubhendra Singh Thakur and Dr. Deovrat Begde, focuses on the early, non-invasive detection of oral cancer. The founder's journey began when Shubhendra Singh Thakur, after developing other health-tech products, met his former professor, Dr. Deovrat Bedge, whose expertise was in protein biomarkers. They started research in 2018, leading to the formal establishment of the company to create a painless oral cancer detection method using saliva.

ErlySign's primary product is a semi-quantitative test kit that uses a saliva sample to detect specific protein biomarkers (MMP2 and MMP9) associated with precancerous conditions, even before visible lesions appear. The test provides results categorized as Low, Moderate, or High risk within 10-15 minutes, boasting a high degree of sensitivity and specificity. This approach serves as a screening tool to help determine if more invasive procedures like biopsies are necessary, thus saving patients from undue physical, mental, and financial stress. The company operates on a B2B model, supplying these kits to hospitals, dental clinics, and medical practitioners, and also offers at-home test kit delivery.

The company has secured patents in India (2022) and the US (2023) for its technology. A significant milestone was a Pre-Series A funding round of ₹16 crore (approximately $1.8 million) in January 2025 from investor Ashish Kacholia. This capital is allocated to finalizing clinical trials with partners like HCG hospitals, obtaining regulatory approval from the Central Drugs Standard Control Organization (CDSCO), and launching the product commercially. Looking forward, ErlySign plans to expand its diagnostic portfolio to include tests for lung, breast, colorectal, and pancreatic cancers and is exploring the use of CRISPR miRNA-based technology for multi-cancer detection from a single saliva sample.

Keywords: oral cancer detection, saliva test, non-invasive diagnostics, biomarker test kit, biotechnology, preventive healthcare, medical devices, at-home testing, cancer screening, CRISPR diagnostics