WIPO China: Lucence - Lighting up the Future of Cancer Care
本文原载于2023年第3期《WIPO杂志》。作者为凯瑟琳朱厄尔，产权组织信息和数字外联司。
The article was originally published in the issue 3/2023 of WIPO Magazine. The author is Catherine Jewell, Information and Digital Outreach Division, WIPO.
有三分之一的人会在一生中罹患癌症。这一严酷的统计数字意味着必须要在早期发现癌症，因为早期癌症更容易治疗且治愈率更高。 路胜开发的一种超灵敏血液检测有望实现癌症的早期检测。（图：CreativeDesignArt / Digital Vision Vectors）
One in three people will get cancer in their lifetime. This stark statistic makes early detection of cancer - when the disease is more treatable and curable - a “must.” A hyper-sensitive blood test developed by Lucence, promises to make early detection a reality. (Photo: CreativeDesignArt / Digital Vision Vectors)
有三分之一的人会在一生中罹患癌症。这一严酷的统计数字意味着必须要在早期发现癌症，因为早期癌症更容易治疗且治愈率更高。位于新加坡和美国的肿瘤精准企业路胜开发的一种超灵敏血液检测，有望实现癌症的早期检测。通过其突破性的技术，路胜正致力于通过简单的血液检测来改善癌症的护理，并提高其治愈率。得益于其超灵敏的液体活检测试，有望只抽一次血就能准确、快速和经济地分析癌症的病状，使医生能够做出更好的治疗决定并改善患者的健康状况。路胜的创始人兼首席执行官陈民汉博士向《WIPO杂志》讲述了他的公司致力于通过更早发现癌症来挽救全世界癌症患者生命的故事。
One in three people will get cancer in their lifetime. This stark statistic makes early detection of cancer - when the disease is more treatable and curable - a “must.” A hyper-sensitive blood test developed by Lucence, a precision oncology company based in Singapore and the USA, promises to make early detection a reality. Through its ground-breaking technology, Lucence is working to improve cancer care and cure rates through a simple blood test. Its ultra-sensitive liquid biopsy tests make it possible to profile cancer accurately, rapidly and affordably with a single blood draw, allowing physicians to make better treatment decisions and improve health outcomes. Dr. Min-Han Tan, Founder and CEO of Lucence, talks to WIPO Magazine about his company’s commitment to saving the lives of cancer patients around the world through earlier detection of the disease.
WIPO杂志：是什么激励您成为一名专门从事癌症研究临床医生？
WM: What inspired you to become a clinician and to specialize in cancer research?
Min-Han Tan: 陈民汉：医学是可以直接帮助人们的一种非常积极的方式。这是我喜欢做的事情。癌症是真正的挑战，看到技术有助于抗癌，这真的很能激励人。癌症是人类死亡的一个主要原因，所以在这个领域工作也提出了触及灵魂的深刻问题。尽一份力来帮助减轻癌症患者的苦难，这使我们在路胜的工作有了重大的意义。
Medicine is a very positive way to help people directly. That’s something I enjoy. Cancer is a real challenge and it’s really motivating to see how technology can help beat it. Cancer is a major cause of death, so working in this field also raises deep spiritual questions. Playing a part in helping to alleviate that struggle gives a lot of meaning to what we do at Lucence.
请告诉我们路胜正在做的工作。
Tell us about the work Lucence is doing?
我们开发液体活检或血液测试，以求更早地发现癌症，提供更好的治疗选择。只需要进行一次简单的血液检测，患者无需等待一个月或冒着侵入性组织活检的风险，而是可以在一周内得到结果并就治疗选择作出决定。液体活检在早期检测和治疗决定方面为癌症患者带来了巨大的变化。我们今后的目标是进一步提高这些检测的灵敏度。这将使我们能够甚至更早地发现更广泛的癌症类型，使患者从早期治疗中受益，并有更大的治愈机会。
We develop liquid biopsies or blood tests, to achieve earlier cancer detection and better treatment selection. With a simple blood test, instead of having to wait a month and risk an invasive tissue biopsy, a patient can get their results and have a decision about treatment selection within a week. Liquid biopsies are making a big difference to cancer patients in terms of early detection and treatment decisions. Our aim going forward is to improve the sensitivity of these tests further. This will enable even earlier detection of a much broader range of cancers so patients benefit from early treatment and have a better chance of a cure.
路胜提供哪些服务？
What services does Lucence offer?
我们为癌症医生提供一系列临床服务，准确地分析癌症患者的血样，让他/她们能够围绕治疗做出事关生死的重要决定。我们与医生以及肿瘤学家合作——他/她们最终负责癌症治疗，以确保他/她们提供适当的护理服务。作为一名科班出身的医学肿瘤专家，我的首要任务是确保路胜提供的技术和服务能够支持尽可能好的护理。
We offer cancer physicians a range of clinical services that accurately profile the blood samples of cancer patients, allowing them to make important life-changing decisions around treatment. We work with the physicians and oncologists – who are ultimately responsible for cancer treatment – to make sure the care they give is delivered appropriately. As a medical oncologist by training, my priority is to make sure that the technology and the service Lucence provides supports the best possible care.
路胜有两个实验室，一个在新加坡， 另一个在加利福尼亚。
该公司为癌症医生提供一系列临床服务， 准确地分析癌
症患者的血样， 让他/她们能够围绕治疗 做出事关生死的
重要决定。（图：Courtesy of Lucence）
Lucence has twin laboratories, one in Singapore and
another in California. The company offers cancer
physicians a range of clinical services that accurately
profile the blood samples of cancer patients, allowing
them to make important life-changing decisions around
treatment. (Photo: Courtesy of Lucence)
您在创业过程中遇到了哪些关键挑战？
What key challenges have you faced on your entrepreneurial journey?
有很多学习机会。学习如何将知识产权转化为用于病人护理的实用产品，这是非常有见地的。我学到的最有趣的事情之一是，如果核心目标是帮助病人获得最佳护理，那在各地的需求都非常相似。当然，买方的情况各异，但是看到在产品开发方面，对需求的普遍性有明确的认识，这是很令人鼓舞的。总会有挑战，但是要确保产品和服务能够帮助病人，这才是关键的动力。
There have been many learning opportunities. Learning how IP can be translated into a practical product for patient care was very insightful. One of the most interesting things I learned was that where the core goal is to help patients receive the best care, the needs are very similar, everywhere. There are, of course, differences in terms of the payer landscape, but it’s very motivating to see that on the product development side, there’s a clear understanding of how universal the needs are. There are always challenges, but making sure the product and the service help patients is the key motivator.
您在哪个阶段决定从研究转向商业？
At what stage did you decide to pivot from research to business?
转型的关键是我们知识产权的落实。当时，我是新加坡科技研究局（A*STAR）的一名研究员。当我们对这项技术能够取得成功充满信心时，就决定迈出重要的一步。我们与临床合作者进行的一项研究的成果使我们确信，我们可以为患者大规模地提供重要的东西。有了这一点以及我们通过A*STAR获得的知识产权，我们认为时机已经成熟。A*STAR对公司的筹建和产品的商业化过程给予了极大的支持。
The critical part of the transition was the operationalization of our IP. At the time, I was a researcher at Singapore’s Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR). We decided to take the leap when we had high confidence that the technology would work. The results of a study we did with our clinical collaborators reassured us that we could deliver something important to patients at scale. With that and the IP rights we had acquired through A*STAR, we decided the time was ripe. A*STAR was very supportive of the process of spinning out the company and commercializing our product.
您已经广泛地发表了研究成果，并申请了20多项专利。您在何时认识到知识产权的重要性？
You have published your research widely and have filed over 20 patents. When did you recognize the importance of IP?
我们一直知道，知识产权对于将我们的研究转化为商业产品至关重要，而确保知识产权是我们需要努力的一个重要步骤。
We always knew that IP was critical to translating our research into a commercial product and that securing IP rights was an important step that we needed to work towards.
知识产权在贵公司发挥了怎样的作用？
What role does IP play in your company?
作为一家深度的技术型公司，知识产权是我们存在的绝对核心。我们的知识产权资产是我们能够提供服务和满足患者需求的基础。我们的知识产权支持我们的研发和品牌，使投资者对我们解决患者需求的能力充满信心。知识产权还促成了我们在世界各地的各种伙伴关系，这需要所有合作方了解各自在专业知识、能力和资产方面能够带来什么。
As a deep technology company, IP is absolutely core to our existence. Our IP assets are the foundation on which we are able to deliver our services and meet the needs of patients. Our IP supports our R&D and our brand and gives investors confidence in our ability to solve patient needs. IP also facilitates the various partnerships we have around the world, which require that all parties understand what each is bringing to the table in terms of expertise, capabilities and assets.
路胜是2022年首届产权组织全球奖计划的 五位获奖者
之一。从左至右：路胜公司创始人兼首席执行官陈民汉
博士、 产权组织总干事邓鸿森和摩尔多瓦共和国 常驻
联合国日内瓦办事处和其他国际组织代表 塔季扬娜·莫
尔切大使阁下。（图：WIPO/Berrod）
Lucence was among the five winners of the first-ever
WIPO Global Awards Program in 2022. Left to right:
Dr. Min-Han Tan, Founder and CEO of Lucence,
Daren Tang, WIPO Director General and H.E. Ambassador
Tatiana Molcean, Permanent Representative of
the Permanent Mission of the Republic of Moldova
to the United Nations Office and other international
organizations in Geneva. (Photo: WIPO/Berrod)
在线阅读全文，进一步了解路胜。
Read the full article online and learn more about Lucence.
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