St. Louis startup Geneoscopy, which is developing diagnostic tools for gastrointestinal health, has made a key C-suite hire as it eyes expansion.
The startup named Dr. Haytham Gareer to the newly created position of chief medical officer. In that role, Gareer will help oversee Geneoscopy's clinical efforts and product development initiatives. He joins Geneoscopy after having been vice president, global head of medical and clinical affairs for Japanese medical device maker Olympus Corp. Prior to that, he worked as a surgeon and endoscopist.
Gareer has a medical degree in surgical oncology from the National Cancer Institute at Cairo University. He holds several other degrees including a Ph.D. in surgical sciences and hepatobiliary and pancreatic illnesses from the University of Verona and an MBA from Hult International Business School. He is currently working on a master’s degree in applied health care economics and outcomes research from Thomas Jefferson University.
The new C-suite post held by Gareer comes as Geneoscopy is completing a clinical trial for its preventive screening test for colorectal cancer. In July, the startup said it enrolled the first patients in its CRC-PREVENT clinical trial to determine the safety and efficacy of its noninvasive, at-home screening test. The startup’s test in January 2020 received Breakthrough Device Designation from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.
Geneoscopy co-founder and CEO Andrew Barnell said the efforts to bring its first diagnostic test to market, as well as its ambition to expand the product portfolio, made it the right time to hire Gareer.
“With its pivotal 10,000-patient clinical study well underway, now is the time to expand Geneoscopy's capabilities to bring its non-invasive, colorectal cancer screening test to clinicians and patients,” Barnell said. “Additionally, as Geneoscopy leverages its RNA biomarker platform to develop additional tests, Dr. Gareer will play an essential role in engaging with the clinical community to identify the critical unmet needs for Geneoscopy's technology to address.”
As the startup develops additional diagnostic products for gastrointestinal health, Gareer is expected to play a major role.
"Geneoscopy's novel approach utilizes RNA extracted from patient stool samples and provides the sensitivity necessary to detect pre-cancerous polyps and early-stage disease. Although the initial focus is on colorectal cancer detection and prevention, the company's robust platform has the potential to address a broad range of unmet needs in managing gastrointestinal conditions,” Gareer said.
While Gareer will play a critical role with Geneoscopy’s clinical development initiatives, Barnell said the chief medical officer role will also involve engaging with medical professional to promote the startup's technology and the impact of its products,
“Dr. Gareer will be guiding Geneoscopy's evidence generation and publication strategy. This critical focus will provide valuable proof for providers, health plans, and other healthcare stakeholders to drive the adoption and utilization of our technology based on improved outcomes and benefits to patients,” Barnell said.
