The company has been awarded both NIH and NSF grants to further its mission
CAMBRIDGE, Mass., Sept. 18, 2025 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- InnoTech Precision Medicine, a biotechnology company pioneering next-generation liquid biopsy platforms, announced today it has been awarded a National Institutes of Health (NIH) Phase II Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) grant to advance the development of its diagnostic test for oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma (OPSCC).
The technology integrates genotypic and phenotypic biomarker detection from saliva samples with a proprietary AI-driven decision support algorithm, leveraging both patented and patent-pending innovations to deliver earlier, more accurate, and less invasive cancer detection.
This NIH Phase II award builds upon promising results from InnoTech's initial pilot study conducted at High Point University's Workman School of Dental Medicine, which validated the feasibility of saliva-based detection for OPSCC using the company's platform. With Phase II funding, InnoTech will expand clinical validation to include Tufts Medical School and the Miami Cancer Center as additional pilot study sites, enabling evaluation across broader patient populations and diverse clinical environments.
In parallel, InnoTech Precision Medicine has also been awarded a National Science Foundation (NSF) Phase I SBIR grant, supporting engineering and refinement of its patented and patent-pending multiomics detection system designed specifically for head and neck cancers. This proprietary system underpins the company's diagnostic pipeline by enabling simultaneous analysis of diverse biomarker classes—such as genomic, transcriptomic, proteomic and epigenetics—within a single saliva sample and in a single test.
"Receiving support from both the NIH and NSF underscores the high impact and transformative potential of our platform," said Dr. Roya Khosravi-Far, Chief Executive Officer of InnoTech Precision Medicine. "We are particularly excited to build on promising results with our collaborators Dr. Ali Shazib, Dean at Workman School of Dental Medicine; Dr. Roya Zandparsa, Associate Dean at Boston University School of Dental Medicine; Dr. Daniel Oreadi, Associate Professor of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery at Tufts Medical School; Dr. Miriam O'Leary, Chair of Otolaryngology at Tufts Medical Center; Dr. Alessandro Villa, D.D.S., Ph.D., M.P.H., Chief of Oral Medicine, Oral Oncology and Dentistry at Miami Cancer Institute; and Dr. Derek Smith, Director, Division of Biostatistics and Computational Biology at University of Iowa College of Dentistry. By combining multi-modal biomarker detection with machine learning, InnoTech aims to create a diagnostic that is not only non-invasive but also more accurate than current standards of care. These awards will accelerate our mission to bring better detection tools to patients at risk of head and neck cancers."
"Earning both an NIH SBIR Phase II and an NSF Phase I award is a significant milestone and a testament to the strength of InnoTech Precision Medicine's vision and team," says Science Center President & CEO, Tiffany Wilson. "We were pleased to support Dr. Khosravi-Far and her team in developing a competitive proposal, and we're encouraged to see their innovation recognized at this level. This kind of achievement not only advances their work but also reflects the broader potential of early-stage science and technology to drive meaningful impact on patient outcomes."
Oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma (OPSCC) has increased in recent decades in the United States, with significant increases in cases linked to human papillomavirus (HPV) infection. Current diagnostic options rely heavily on invasive biopsies and imaging modalities, which often identify disease only at later stages. InnoTech's approach, leveraging saliva as a diagnostic fluid, provides a simple and scalable collection method while harnessing multimodal biomarker detection and artificial intelligence to interpret disease-specific signatures across multiple biomarker classes.
Dr. Ali Shazib, Dean and Principal Investigator at High Point University's Workman School of Dental Medicine, commented, "Our partnership with InnoTech Precision Medicine has enabled us to blend leading-edge molecular diagnostics with patient-centered care in the dental clinic setting. The success of our initial pilot study proves that saliva-based testing is not only feasible but offers immense promise for transforming how head and neck cancers are identified and monitored. We're excited to continue this journey as the technology progresses into expanded multi-site trials, and we are grateful that the NIH and NSF recognize the significance of this innovative approach."
With these two federal awards, InnoTech Precision Medicine is positioned to advance both the technological capabilities and clinical deployment of its breakthrough diagnostic tools. Upcoming milestones include expanding clinical collaborations, validating performance in multi-site studies, and preparing for regulatory pathways toward broad patient access.
About InnoTech Precision Medicine
InnoTech Precision Medicine is a biotechnology company focused on developing AI-enabled multiomics diagnostics to transform cancer detection and monitoring. By integrating advanced multi-biomarker detection platforms with machine learning algorithms, the company is pioneering saliva-based precision diagnostics that deliver earlier, more accurate detection and enable more personalized care pathways.
Media Contact
Roya Khosravi-Far, PhD, InnoTech Precision Medicine, 1 617-372-2141, [email protected], https://innotechprecisionmed.com/
SOURCE InnoTech Precision Medicine
Share this article