GeneAssess

Based in New Brunswick, New Jersey, GeneAssess, Inc. operates within the biotechnology sector, concentrating on the development of advanced genetic tests for oncology. The company was established in 2012 by Dr. Helmut Zarbl. Dr. Zarbl is a professor of environmental and occupational medicine at Robert Wood Johnson Medical School and brings significant expertise in cancer research to the firm, which holds an exclusive license to the intellectual property he developed. The company's core mission is to validate and commercialize the FRY gene, a molecular signature discovered by its scientists, to serve as a more precise diagnostic biomarker for cancer staging and grading.

GeneAssess is focused on creating diagnostic and genetic tests that assess cancer risk based on the expression and DNA sequence of the FRY gene, a putative tumor suppressor. This technology is aimed at physicians and healthcare enterprises, enabling them to better diagnose and treat various epithelial cell-derived tumors, including those of the breast, prostate, ovary, lung, and brain. The company has demonstrated that mutations in the FRY gene can increase susceptibility to mammary cancer and that the gene can reduce the growth of aggressive human cancers in animal models. In addition to diagnostics, GeneAssess is also developing mechanistically-based, precision cancer therapies using a FRY signal targeting methodology. The business model appears to involve licensing and software, with a recurring revenue structure.

The company's journey began with a seed funding round on July 2, 2012, where it raised $500,000 from Foundation Venture Capital Group. This investment was intended to validate FRY as a predictive biomarker, detect genetic mutations in at-risk populations, and explore its potential for developing new targeted drugs. While one source indicates the company may have become out of business in 2019, its current status is listed as active and private. Keywords: GeneAssess, cancer diagnostics, genetic testing, FRY gene, biomarker, oncology, tumor suppressor gene, precision cancer therapy, biotechnology, cancer risk assessment, molecular signature, cancer staging, targeted drug development, Helmut Zarbl, Foundation Venture Capital Group, epithelial tumors, breast cancer research, prostate cancer diagnostics, New Jersey biotech