Signatur Biosciences secures $7M to localize breast cancer testing

Signatur Biosciences, a London-headquartered precision diagnostics startup, has raised $7 million in seed funding to accelerate the development and launch of OncoSignatur Breast, a test designed to provide fast, affordable, and localized prognostic results for breast cancer patients. This round brings the company’s total capital to $9.9 million, combining equity and grants. The investment was led by The Discovery Lab of IBA, with support from Noshaq and several strategic partners.

Addressing global gaps in cancer testing

Traditional prognostic tests for breast cancer relapse are costly, often exceeding $4,000, and typically processed in centralized labs—mostly in the United States. As a result, patients may wait up to three weeks for results due to international shipping and lab capacity limits. This delay can hinder timely treatment decisions, especially in regions where healthcare systems are already strained.

Signatur Biosciences aims to reduce this dependency by introducing a decentralized model. OncoSignatur Breast will be compatible with standard qPCR machines, already present in many hospitals and labs. This shift enables same-day results and eliminates logistical delays, while also significantly reducing testing costs.

Speaking on the company’s direction, co-founder and CEO Celestin de Wergifosse emphasized the importance of accessibility, stating that diagnostic tools shouldn’t be limited by geography. He noted that hospitals must be able to control testing workflows without relying on overseas labs, especially in critical cases like cancer.

From academic frustration to practical innovation

The company was founded in 2022 by Celestin de Wergifosse and Dr. John Goertz, both bioengineers with academic roots in Imperial College London, the University of Oxford, and the University of Maryland. The startup spun out from the Stevens Group, led by Prof. Dame Molly Stevens, who continues to provide scientific leadership. The founding team developed the idea after witnessing firsthand how the lack of local diagnostics limited timely clinical action.

With support from Belgian investor Noshaq, Signatur Biosciences will also establish a new lab in Liege, reinforcing its presence in one of Europe’s growing biotech regions. This new facility will support research, production, and scaling of its diagnostic technology.

PCRchitectur: streamlining molecular testing

The key innovation behind OncoSignatur Breast is PCRchitectur, a proprietary technology developed by Signatur to streamline diagnostic workflows into a single qPCR reaction. This platform can reduce material costs by up to 20 times compared to existing solutions, according to the company, enabling hospitals to retain test revenues and deliver care more efficiently.

While breast cancer is the initial focus, Signatur Biosciences intends to expand the use of its technology into other areas of oncology and chronic diseases, further supporting its long-term goal of building a scalable diagnostic ecosystem.