BioArk Monthey Tech Park resident Ninsun Biotech will present its diagnostic approach for predicting response to immunotherapy in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) at the Onco Startup Summit, held during the IFODS French National Oncology Congress in Paris on 18 June 2026.
Addressing a major challenge in NSCLC
Immunotherapy has become a standard treatment option for many patients with advanced NSCLC. Yet a significant proportion of patients do not benefit from these therapies, despite current patient selection strategies.
Today, PD-L1 expression remains the most widely used biomarker to guide immunotherapy decisions. While clinically valuable, it does not fully predict treatment response, leaving oncologists with limited tools to identify which patients are most likely to achieve a meaningful benefit.
Ninsun Biotech is developing NinStem Lung™, a diagnostic test designed to complement PD-L1 assessment and support treatment decision-making before immunotherapy is initiated.
A biomarker based on cancer stem cell detection
The company’s approach is based on the detection of cancer stem cells (CSCs) directly within tumour tissue using a standard immunohistochemistry (IHC) workflow.
Cancer stem cells are associated with tumour persistence, disease progression and resistance to treatment. By measuring their presence within NSCLC tumours, NinStem Lung™ aims to provide additional information on the likelihood of response to immunotherapy.
For clinicians, the objective is straightforward: improve patient stratification and support more informed treatment decisions.
Advancing towards clinical and regulatory development
NSCLC is the first indication targeted by Ninsun Biotech.
The company is currently raising funds to support the development of the NinStem Lung™ kit and to conduct the analytical and clinical studies required for CE-IVDR submission.
According to the company, the addressable market represents more than 400,000 tests annually across Europe and the United States.
Exploring opportunities beyond diagnostics
Beyond its diagnostic application, Ninsun Biotech’s proprietary CSC-targeting technology could also support future therapeutic developments.
To explore this potential, the company has launched an Innocheque project in collaboration with HES-SO Valais-Wallis. The project aims to establish proof of concept on cancer cell lines and evaluate the feasibility of combining the technology with therapeutic molecules.
Meet the team tomorrow at IFODS 2026
Ninsun Biotech will present an e-poster during the Onco Startup Summit (IFODS Congress) on 18 June 2026 in Paris
Sylvain Gnaho, President of Ninsun Biotech, and Pierre Chaumat will attend the event and meet clinicians, researchers, investors and industry partners interested in predictive biomarkers, immunotherapy and precision oncology.
➡️ More about the OncoSTART – Onco Startup Summit : website
