Latest news with #Decipher
Techday NZ
31-07-2025
- Business
- Techday NZ
Metaforms raises USD $9m to revolutionise market research
Metaforms, a San Francisco-based artificial intelligence startup, has raised USD $9 million in Series A funding to support the development of AI infrastructure for the market research industry. The funding round was led by Peak XV Partners, formerly known as Sequoia India, and included participation from Nexus Venture Partners and Together Fund. With this investment, Metaforms will expand its team, enhance its AI agents, and broaden its platform to include report generation and voice-based research capabilities. The company's integrations already extend to widely used research tools such as Decipher, SPSS, and Confirmit. Addressing industry bottlenecks The global market research industry, estimated to be worth USD $130 billion, is experiencing rapid growth. However, agencies face increasing challenges from outdated operational systems, leading to capacity issues and compressed margins. Metaforms aims to address these challenges, enabling agencies to meet client demand without overburdening their staff or turning away work. "We're thrilled to partner with Akshat and Arjun as they reimagine what a market research agency could look like in an AI-first world. Metaforms is scaling rapidly, by enabling some of the largest research agencies globally to automate workflows such as survey programming and data processing through their suite of AI agents." Shailendra Singh, MD, Peak XV Research agencies traditionally spend significant time on manual tasks such as converting survey questionnaires into code, coordinating with multiple panel providers via email, and running complex validation scripts. Metaforms' AI agents automate these processes, fitting within agencies' existing workflows and improving efficiency without replacing human expertise. The platform's functions include converting questionnaires into survey code, identifying problematic data before it impacts projects, coordinating with panel vendors, and managing quotas across multi-country studies. For many agencies, these capabilities represent the difference between being able to scale up or having to refuse additional business. Industry traction Since launching commercially six months ago, Metaforms has secured contracts with four of the world's top twenty research agencies, including Strat7. The platform currently processes over 1,000 surveys per month and counts several Fortune 500 companies among its clients. Metaforms reports a 100% expansion rate among clients who started with a single AI agent and have since deployed additional AI functionalities. "Metaforms has been incredibly successful thanks to their uniquely thoughtful approach to modernising research operations - embedding seamlessly into the workflows, tools, and platforms that researchers and agencies already use. I'm excited to continue supporting the team as they build on that momentum with this Series A." Jonathan Tice, GTM Consultant [Prev: Chief Customer Officer, Forsta] Akshat Tyagi and Arjun S founded Metaforms in 2022, driven by their own difficulties accessing professional market research as early-stage founders. They identified that agencies were limited not by a lack of demand, but by their operational bandwidth, and set out to build a platform to increase efficiency. "Our goal is simple: help great research teams spend less time firefighting and more time doing the work that actually matters," said Akshat Tyagi, co-founder and CEO of Metaforms. "When you automate the grunt work, you make high-quality research more accessible to more companies." According to Metaforms, its AI platform makes high-quality, professional-grade market research more accessible both to large global companies and early-stage startups. By automating high-volume, repetitive tasks, the platform is enabling agencies to serve clients they may previously have had to turn away, improving their ability to scale and manage costs effectively. "Metaforms is a breakout example of the India-to-global play in AI," said Manav Garg, Co-founder and managing partner at Together Fund. "They're not just automating tasks - they're rebuilding research infrastructure for the modern era. With their early traction across global agencies, Akshat and Arjun are showing what's possible when deep customer empathy meets technical ambition." Agencies such as Strat7 have reported tangible benefits from deploying Metaforms' platform. Tabita Razaila, Head of Operations at Strat7, said, "Our partnership has delivered strong ROI, thanks to Metaforms' exceptional service and prompt support." "They're solving a major pain point for the entire industry. That focus and ability to deeply understand customer needs and address that using genetic AI is the hallmark of Metaforms team. We are thrilled to back Akshat and Arjun in their journey of building a remarkable company!", said Jishnu Bhattacharjee and Arjun Gandhi, Nexus Venture Partners. Future plans Looking ahead, Metaforms has plans to triple the size of its team and further expand its agent capabilities, including the development of automated reporting, voice research, and expanded language support. The company's long-term goal is to process over 100,000 surveys per year, further increasing access to comprehensive market research across industries and company sizes. "When research agencies grow, better business decisions get made," added Akshat Tyagi. "We're not here to replace the humans in the loop. We're here to give them leverage."
Yahoo
11-02-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Veracyte Announces 17 Abstracts Demonstrating Its Decipher Tests' Leadership in Urologic Cancers to Be Presented at the 2025 ASCO GU Symposium
SOUTH SAN FRANCISCO, Calif., February 11, 2025--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Veracyte, Inc. (Nasdaq: VCYT), a leading cancer diagnostics company, today announced that 17 Decipher-focused abstracts will be presented at the 2025 ASCO Genitourinary Cancers Symposium (ASCO GU). The findings demonstrate the market leadership of its Decipher tests in better informing treatment decisions for patients with prostate and bladder cancers, compared to standard approaches, and in helping to drive innovation that will inform the future of urologic cancer care. The conference will take place February 13-15 in San Francisco. "The scale and scope of data to be presented at the ASCO GU meeting underscore the impact our whole-transcriptome-based Decipher tests are having in treating patients with urologic cancers, and how our GRID, or Genomic Resource for Intelligent Discovery, research tool is helping to advance scientific understanding of these diseases," said Elai Davicioni, Ph.D., Veracyte's medical director, Urology. "Our commitment to generating robust clinical evidence with collaborators has led to our market-leading Decipher Prostate test achieving the highest status among gene expression tests in the most recent, and prior, NCCN guidelines.* We look forward to using a similar approach for our Decipher Bladder test in bladder cancer." "Clinical rigor and robust evidence generation are important for a molecular test to gain widespread adoption and inclusion in guidelines for helping physicians and their patients with prostate cancer make better-informed treatment decisions," said Daniel Spratt, M.D., of the University Hospitals Seidman Cancer Center, Case Western Reserve University. "National guidelines have acknowledged the large body of work from randomized Phase 3 trials that have been profiled with Decipher and include the Decipher test as an advanced risk-stratification tool that can aid in shared-decision making for patients." Key Decipher-focused findings to be presented at the ASCO GU Symposium are: Title: Decipher Score as a Predictor of Response to Treatment Intensification in the NRG Oncology-RTOG 0534 (SPPORT) Phase III Randomized Post-Prostatectomy Salvage Radiotherapy Trial Presenter: Alan Pollack, M.D., Ph.D., University of Miami Health System Format: Poster (#K29) Abstract #: 399 Date/Time: Thursday, February 13, 2025; 11:25 a.m.—12:45 p.m. PST Location: Level 1, West Hall; On Demand Summary: A post-hoc analysis of the NRG Oncology/RTOG 05-34 (SSPORT) Phase 3, randomized trial shows that the Decipher Prostate test may inform treatment intensification strategies in patients undergoing salvage radiotherapy by identifying those who will benefit from pelvic nodal radiation. Title: A non-coding RNA based classifier for favorable outcomes in clinically organ confined bladder cancer Presenter: Yair Lotan, M.D., UT Southwestern Medical Center Format: Poster (#G27) Abstract #: 831 Date/Time: Friday, February 14, 2025; 11:30 a.m.—12:45 p.m. PST Location: Level 1, West Hall; On Demand Summary: Study findings show that the Decipher Bladder test accurately identifies patients whose bladder cancer has a luminal molecular subtype, which is associated with favorable outcomes. Such findings could help clinicians determine which patients are less likely to benefit from intensified therapy. Title: Gene signature predictor of dose-response to prostate radiation: validation of PORTOS in phase III trials Presenter: Shuang Zhao, M.D., University of Wisconsin-Madison Format: Oral Presentation Abstract #: 308 Date/Time: Thursday, February 13, 2025; 8:00 a.m.—9:40 a.m. PST Location: Level 3, Ballroom; Live Stream Summary: Analyses of two prospective, randomized, Phase 3 trials (RTOG 01-26 and SAKK 09/10) show that the PORTOS gene expression signature – currently part of the Decipher GRID research tool – predicts which patients will benefit from dose-escalated radiation therapy in both primary and salvage treatment settings. Additional notable Decipher-focused presentations include: Title: Decipher Risk Stratification of Radiorecurrent Prostate Cancer: Correlative Analysis of the F-SHARP Trial of Salvage Reirradiation Presenter: Abhishek Solanki, M.D., M.S., Loyola University Chicago Format: Poster (#L15) Abstract #: 419 Date/Time: Thursday, February 13, 2025; 11:25 a.m.—12:45 p.m. PST Location: Level 1, West Hall; On Demand Summary: Radiation therapy is increasingly used for patients whose prostate cancer has recurred following initial radiation treatment. This study suggests the Decipher Prostate test can identify patients who are likely to benefit from more radiation alone versus those who may also need further treatment intensification. Title: Androgen receptor activity in biopsy specimens at initial diagnosis of prostate cancer and correlation with outcomes and treatment response Presenter: Nicole Handa, M.D., Northwestern University, Feinberg School of Medicine Format: Poster (#L5) Abstract #: 409 Date/Time: Thursday, February 13, 2025; 11:25 a.m.—12:45 p.m. PST Location: Level 1, West Hall; On Demand Summary: Using the Decipher GRID research tool to assess transcriptome-wide expression data and clinical factors, investigators found that low androgen receptor activity (AR-A) was associated with poor outcomes for prostate cancer patients. They suggest such patients could potentially benefit from post-operative radiation therapy and PARP inhibitors. Title: Risk Stratification Using the Decipher 22-gene Genomic Classifier (GC) and Digital Pathology Artificial Intelligence (DPAI) in Nearly 10,000 Localized Prostate Cancer Patients Presenter: Daniel Spratt, M.D., University Hospitals Seidman Cancer Center, Case Western Reserve University Format: Poster (#L4) Abstract #: 408 Date/Time: Thursday, February 13, 2025; 11:25 a.m.—12:45 p.m. PST Location: Level 1, West Hall; On Demand Summary: This large study found that adding digital pathology artificial intelligence (DPAI) tools to the Decipher Prostate Genomic Classifier did not further improve the molecular test's prognostic performance. Ongoing research is underway to explore whether there may be specific clinical states where the combination of DPAI and the Decipher test may add meaningful clinical utility. "The extensive Decipher-focused data at the 2025 ASCO GU Symposium demonstrate the power of our novel Veracyte Diagnostics Platform, which begins with delivering high-performing tests using a comprehensive, whole-transcriptome approach. This enables additional research, which in turn supports further innovation to help more patients," said Phillip Febbo, M.D., Veracyte's chief scientific officer and chief medical officer. Veracyte's Decipher team will be at Booth #37 at the 2025 ASCO GU Symposium. More information, including a full list of Decipher-focused abstracts being presented, can be found here. About Decipher Prostate The Decipher Prostate Genomic Classifier is a 22-gene test, developed using RNA whole-transcriptome analysis and machine learning, that helps inform treatment decisions for patients with prostate cancer. The test is performed on biopsy or surgically resected samples and provides an accurate risk of developing metastasis with standard treatment. Armed with this information, physicians can better personalize their patients' care and may recommend less-intensive options for those at lower risk or earlier, more-intensive treatment for those at higher risk of metastasis. The Decipher Prostate test has been validated in many dozens of published studies involving more than 100,000 patients. It is the only gene expression test to achieve "Level 1B" evidence status and inclusion in the risk-stratification table in the most recent NCCN® Guidelines* for prostate cancer. More information about the Decipher Prostate test can be found here. About Decipher Bladder The Decipher Bladder Genomic Classifier is a 219-gene test, developed using RNA whole-transcriptome analysis and machine learning, that is designed for use in patients following bladder cancer diagnosis who face questions regarding treatment intensity. The test classifies bladder tumors into five molecular subtypes, each having distinct tumor biology and potential clinical implications. This information can help physicians and their patients better understand the degree of benefit that would likely be gained from neoadjuvant chemotherapy and/or the likelihood of harboring non-organ-confined disease at time of surgery, respectively. More information about the Decipher Bladder test can be found here. About Decipher GRID The Decipher GRID database includes more than 200,000 whole-transcriptome profiles from patients with urologic cancers and is used by Veracyte and its partners to contribute to continued research and help advance understanding of prostate and other urologic cancers. GRID-derived information is available on a Research Use Only basis. More information about Decipher GRID can be found here. About Veracyte Veracyte (Nasdaq: VCYT) is a global diagnostics company whose vision is to transform cancer care for patients all over the world. We empower clinicians with the high-value insights they need to guide and assure patients at pivotal moments in the race to diagnose and treat cancer. Our Veracyte Diagnostics Platform delivers high-performing cancer tests that are fueled by broad genomic and clinical data, deep bioinformatic and AI capabilities, and a powerful evidence-generation engine, which ultimately drives durable reimbursement and guideline inclusion for our tests, along with new insights to support continued innovation and pipeline development. For more information, please visit and follow the company on LinkedIn and X (formerly Twitter) at @veracyte. Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements This press release contains forward-looking statements, including, but not limited to our statements related to the potential for Decipher tests to better inform treatment decisions for patients with prostate and bladder cancers, compared to standard approaches, and help drive innovation that will inform the future of urologic cancer care. Forward-looking statements can be identified by words such as: "appears," "anticipate," "intend," "plan," "expect," "believe," "should," "may," "will," "enable," "positioned," "offers," "designed," "ultimately," and similar references to future periods. Actual results may differ materially from those projected or suggested in any forward-looking statements. These statements involve risks and uncertainties, which could cause actual results to differ materially from our predictions. Additional factors that may impact these forward-looking statements can be found under the caption "Risk Factors" in our Annual Report on Form 10-K filed on February 29, 2024 and our subsequent Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q. Copies of these documents, when available, may be found in the Investors section of our website at These forward-looking statements speak only as of the date hereof and, except as required by law, we specifically disclaim any obligation to update these forward-looking statements or reasons why actual results might differ, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. Veracyte, the Veracyte logo, and Decipher are registered trademarks of Veracyte, Inc., and its subsidiaries in the U.S. and selected countries. * National Comprehensive Cancer Network. NCCN makes no warranties of any kind whatsoever regarding their content, use or application and disclaims any responsibility for their application or use in any way. View source version on Contacts Investors: Shayla Gormaninvestors@ 619-393-1545 Media: Tracy Morrismedia@ 650-380-4413 Sign in to access your portfolio
