Afynia Laboratories, a Canadian biotech startup spun out of McMaster University in Ontario, has secured $5 million in seed funding to commercialize a blood test for endometriosis, a medical condition that affects nearly 200 million people worldwide. The startup's mission is to speed up diagnosis, which can currently take years, even up to a decade, of doctor's trips and invasive tests.

Endometriosis is a complex condition that presents with similar symptoms, making diagnosis challenging. Afynia's approach is to look at a range of biomarkers, specifically microRNA, tiny molecules that play a role in switching genes on or off. The startup's technology, called EndomiR, works by testing the patient's blood for the presence of microRNA using an algorithm to compare the expression level of microRNA to people with surgically confirmed endometriosis.

Co-founder Dr. Lauren Foster, a professor at McMaster University, explained that the biomarkers they are looking at cover different aspects of the disease, including new blood vessel growth, inflammation, and new nerve growth factor. By targeting these different parts of the disease, the biomarkers work better together in combination than any one does on its own. Foster believes that a microRNA-based test is a better way to detect endometriosis than other approaches, such as testing for proteins, as the traces are more stable.

Afynia's technology draws on Foster's long span of research career focused on ovarian regulation and endometriosis. She, along with her PhD student and co-founder Dr. Jocelyn Wessel, decided to form their own company to commercialize a non-invasive endometriosis test. The startup declines to disclose any metrics on the accuracy of its EndomiR test vs. surgical diagnosis, saying it wants to keep its data under wraps until it's finished going through Canada's regulatory approval process for a laboratory developed test (LDT).

The startup is confident that it will be able to bring the test to market in North America later this year, with a launch into the U.S. slated for early next year if all goes to plan. Canada would be the first market Afynia's test is deployed in, potentially as soon as this summer. The team believes that its test could reduce the timeline for diagnosis substantially, which currently averages seven to eight years for patients.

Afynia's approach has an edge because it's attacking the problem from a foundation of already having an academic discovery. The startup is also hopeful that the test could work with just a drop of blood in the future, rather than requiring a blood draw. While endometriosis is where Afynia is putting all its energy for now, the startup wants to apply its approach to diagnosing other women's health issues, with a plan to bring a pipeline of microRNA tests to market in the coming years.

The seed funding was led by Bio-Rad Laboratories, a manufacturer of lab kit, with participation from Impact America Fund, SOSV, the Capital Angel Network, and Gaingels. Prior to this funding round, the startup had raised around $1.5 million in pre-seed funding, with backing from McMaster University and some of its seed investors.

Afynia is not alone in its pursuit of non-invasive testing for female health issues. Competitors include California's NextGen Jane, which is exploring using menstrual blood collected via tampons to test for endometriosis and other health conditions, and DotLab, another U.S. player, that's developed a blood-based test for endometriosis. Telehealth platforms like Allara and research projects like Citizen Endo also seek to cater to endometriosis sufferers with support to manage their conditions or improve understanding of the disease.

Afynia's seed funding is a significant milestone in the development of a non-invasive blood test for endometriosis, which could have a tangible impact on the lives of millions of people worldwide. As the startup continues to develop its microRNA technology, it's likely to be a key player in the women's health space in the coming years.