Wikipedia -WSS

Wikipedia

author：comprehensive 2025-08-19 12:10:35 - browse：9374

Medical illustration of Streptococcus pneumoniae bacteria — A medical illustration of drug-resistant, Streptococcus pneumoniae bacteria. Antibiotic Resistance Coordination and Strategy Unit/CDC

Micronoma, a San Diego-based biotech startup, was founded on the idea that signatures from microbes that colonize tumors could lead to a blood test to detect cancer. The hypothesis was based on a high-profile Nature paper, published in 2020, that suggested these microbes are consistently found in tumors, and that they create such specific signatures they could be used to identify cancer types with nearly 100% accuracy.

But late Monday night, a team of researchers published a manuscript on the preprint site bioRxiv.com showing what they believe to be two “fatal errors” in the Nature paper’s analyses, invalidating not only the paper’s findings but possibly the scientific foundation for Micronoma, which has raised an estimated $17.5 million in funding from investors including SymBiosis Capital Management and the Seerave Foundation.

One allegation is that the Nature paper’s authors didn’t adequately filter out human DNA from their database of tumor samples, leading them to incorrectly classify millions of human sequences as bacterial. The other is that a separate error led the team’s algorithm to find false associations between specific microbial signatures and cancer types.

Unlock this article by subscribing to STAT+ and enjoy your first 30 days free!

GET STARTED Log In

Previous article： FDA approval of Sarepta Duchenne genetic therapy gives me hope
Next article： R1 RCM gets $5.8 billion buyout offer from private equity firm

focus

WSS

Readout Newsletter: Alnylam, Celldex, Roche, Zealand Pharma

Ocular Therapeutix moves raise hopes, and Alnylam tries to calm some nerves

Alabama hospital puts IVF treatments on hold

AstraZeneca, Daiichi breast cancer treatment succeeds in trial

Case for ALS therapy Nurown relies on ‘deficient’ data, FDA finds

NIH study of ME/CFS points to clear biological hallmarks

Wikipedia

Wikipedia

entertainment

In age of alternative facts, a scholarly course on calling out crap

Alabama hospital puts IVF treatments on hold

Walensky prepares to leave CDC — and Congress — behind

A solution to the after

How to save PrEP access — and even expand it

Readout Newsletter: Alnylam, Celldex, Roche, Zealand Pharma

Tori Bowie and the unacceptable rates of Black maternal death

Drug for rare kidney disease narrowly misses mark in clinical trial

Activists slam private health insurers over coverage restrictions

With competition flaring, obesity drug hits goal in liver disease study

focus

Readout LOUD podcast: Humira legacy, AbbVie CEO's retirement

Alabama IVF ruling threatens families facing fatal genetic disease

Cyberattack on UnitedHealth subsidiary cripples pharmacies, hospitals

Medicare inequities exacerbate Puerto Rico’s health disparities

CDC advisers recommend seasonal use of Pfizer RSV shot

Ed Silverman on new gene therapies, biosimilars, coffee, and more

explore

hotspot

focus

knowledge