BCAL Diagnostics (ASX:BDX) is preparing for a significant expansion in early cancer detection, confirming it will bring two blood-based tests for pancreatic and ovarian cancer to the Australian market in January 2026.
The move follows a series of significant international milestones achieved by its partner ClearNote Health, solidifying the global credentials of the Avantect epigenomic testing platform.
Chief executive Shane Ryan described the partnership as “transformative,” positioning BCAL to deliver a suite of diagnostics that could materially improve patient outcomes.
ClearNote’s progress, ranging from UK regulatory approval to selection for the large US Vanguard Trial, has strengthened confidence in the Australian commercial rollout. Updated clinical data show notable improvements in early-stage sensitivity for both tests, with the pancreatic test demonstrating 82.6 per cent sensitivity at 97.5 per cent specificity in a 1,445-sample validation cohort.
The pancreatic test’s utility for newly diagnosed type 2 diabetes patients, who face a six- to eight-fold increased risk of pancreatic cancer in the first three years, signals a particularly large opportunity. With more than 20,000 Australians diagnosed with type 2 diabetes each year, BCAL estimates an addressable domestic market of more than $250 million annually.
In parallel, new results from the PRECEDE Consortium and the UK SAFE-D trial are reinforcing the potential of Avantect for both high-risk surveillance and symptom-based testing.
BCAL is also broadening its breast cancer offering. A clinical expansion effectively doubles its potential patient pool to around half of all women undergoing breast evaluation, with the test already in use in Sydney and Melbourne and planned expansion into Brisbane.
To support growing demand, the company will introduce a dedicated telehealth service in early 2026, connecting individuals directly with clinicians specialising in early cancer detection.