Meet Oriana Papin-Zoghbi, Co-founder and CEO of Women's Health Company AOA Dx
FemWealth Founder's Story
Meet Oriana Papin-Zoghbi, Co-founder and CEO of AOA Dx, a company developing the first non-invasive early-detection blood test for ovarian cancer
What led you to found AOA Dx?
OP: My team and I have worked together for over a decade and have always been passionate about making an impact on the future of healthcare, with a particular focus on women’s health. When researching ovarian cancer, it was clear there was an urgent market need, and together with a professor working on early ovarian cancer detection from McGill, AOA Dx was founded.
What is the company’s mission?
OP: AOA Dx is developing the first non-invasive early-detection blood test for ovarian cancer. Ovarian cancer is often detected at a later stage when the cancer is more aggressive. To date, an early detection tool does not exist for ovarian cancer, and thousands of women are suffering and losing their lives because of it. When caught early, the chances of survival drastically increase.
Why have you chosen to focus on women’s health, and specifically ovarian cancer diagnosis?
OP: Women’s Health has always been important to my entire team. We are frustrated by the lack of innovation for diseases that predominantly affect women and how behind clinical research has been. We want to bridge that gap. Additionally, one of my co-founders’ mothers has actually had ovarian cancer. We are all extremely thankful she is in remission and doing better, but having something like this hit so close to home has surely played a role.
What is the impact of early diagnosis, especially for ovarian cancer, from a patient and public health perspective?
OP: Nearly 225,000 women are diagnosed with ovarian cancer annually, and up to 65% of them will not survive.
The majority of women are diagnosed at advanced stages when the cancer has already spread beyond the ovaries. This can leave ovarian cancer patients with a 5-year survival rate as low as 18%. Data shows that if 75% of ovarian cancer cases could be detected at early-stages, the number of deaths from this disease could be halved. Having access to early detection is essential for better outcomes and can reduce the cost to the healthcare system associated with lengthy diagnostic processes and delayed treatments.
What tools is AOA Dx currently developing?
OP: AOA Dx is developing the next frontier in early-stage cancer detection through its pioneering work in glycolipids and proprietary biomarker technology. Our tumor marker ganglioside platform, GlycoLocate™, is paving the way for life-saving early cancer detection. In a first of its kind, AOA Dx has developed AKRIVIS GD™, an early-stage liquid biopsy test for ovarian cancer, that has proven excellent sensitivity and specificity in a recent study. We foresee novel tumor biomarker gangliosides as the future for diagnosis, prognosis, monitoring, and eventually targeted therapies across multiple cancers. We recently began our clinical trial and have several patients enrolled.
What has been your fundraising experience as a leader of a company focused on women’s health?
OP: Fundraising has been a rollercoaster, but we have been fortunate to have raised funds from a variety of VC funds and angel investors who believe in our team, product, and mission. It is often a challenge to convince folks that women’s health is not a “niche market,” but the tide is changing, and I’ve seen an increase in investments in the space.
What is your long-term vision for the company?
OP: Early detection is an important factor for cancer in general. The earlier cancer is detected, the faster you can make quick and informed decisions for your health. We want to expand into other types of cancer and help as many people as possible globally. Our mission is to develop and drive the adoption of novel diagnostics products that move the needle in patient care.
What goals excite you the most for the next 6-12 months?
OP: We are currently working on closing our series A in the midst of our clinical trial and rapidly growing as a team. I am really excited about how fast AOA is growing and how much we’re going to accomplish in the next year.
What is your advice for health tech startup founders who are just starting their journey?
OP: Listen to feedback, even if it doesn’t feel relevant at the time or you don’t agree with it. Every single time someone shared feedback, my team and I had a debrief. We compile all feedback, regardless of what it is, to help us continue to grow and keep things in mind. What isn’t relevant now may be relevant in a year. The healthcare industry has a lot of hurdles, and taking the opportunity to listen, digest and seek out mentors is crucial for success. Don’t let your ego or pride get in the way of helping you and your company grow.
💌 If you’re a female or non-binary founder of a venture-backed, early-stage company and would like to be featured in a future edition, please email me at femwealth@substack.com.