The price difference is enormous. Guardant Health currently lists an $8,455 cash price for its leading cancer DNA blood test. The two tests are not designed for exactly the same job, but the comparison shows the potential power of Israel’s new $60 approach.
The test looks for chemical changes in tiny pieces of DNA released into the blood. Instead of using expensive machines to read the DNA, it places the sample on a small glass chip and uses fluorescent light to identify cancer’s biological fingerprint.
Researchers tested the technology on 103 people, including 51 lung cancer patients and 52 healthy participants. It detected 93.1 percent of stage 2 to 4 cancers and correctly ruled out cancer in 90.3 percent of the healthy group. It could also distinguish between the two main types of lung cancer.
The technology was developed by Professor Yuval Ebenstein and his team at Tel Aviv University, working with JaxBio Technologies, Bnai Zion Medical Center and Sheba Medical Center. Dr. Abed Agbarya led the clinical research.
This remains an experimental test, not something patients can order today. It has not yet proven that it can reliably detect stage 1 cancer. A larger hospital study is now underway in Israel and Europe, with results expected in 2027.