St. Louis gastrointestinal health startup Geneoscopy, which has developed a test to screen for colon cancer, has hired two new executives.
Geneoscopy said Wednesday it has named Matt Sargent as chief commercial officer and Tyler Aldredge as vice president of operations. Sargent replaces Vince Wong, who left Geneoscopy earlier this year to become president and CEO of Indianapolis-based BioCrossroads. Aldredge’s role as vice president of operations is a newly created position at Geneoscopy.
Geneoscopy said its two new executives will “support the commercialization” of ColoSense, the preventive, stool-based test developed by the company to detect colon cancer in those 45 years or older. Geneoscopy said earlier this month it received U.S. Food and Drug Administration approval for ColoSense, with plans to commercially launch its screening test later this year or in early 2025. The company has partnered with Burlington, North Carolina-based Labcorp (NYSE: LH) to distribute ColoSense to health care providers as part of their patient screening programs.
Founded in 2015, Geneoscopy has raised more than $100 million in financing as it's sought to bring its colorectal cancer screening test to market. It also has pursued having its technology used to detect other diseases, including inflammatory bowel disease (IBD).
“We are pleased to welcome Matt and Tyler to the Geneoscopy team at such a pivotal time for the company,” said Andrew Barnell, Geneoscopy co-founder and CEO, in a statement. “Matt’s proven experience commercializing oncology diagnostic products and Tyler’s expertise in operational process and management will be critical as we accelerate toward bringing ColoSense to market and hit several key clinical and development milestones with IBD.”
Geneoscopy’s new chief commercial officer, Sargent, most recently was chief business officer at Cambridge, Massachusetts-based cancer detection firm Harbinger Health. He’s also held executive roles at cancer testing companies Hologic and Biotheranostics.
"As I step into this new role, I look forward to collaborating with our talented team and partners to realize the full potential of our innovative RNA technology and bring valuable solutions to patients and providers,” said Sargent in a news release. “With our focus on advancing ColoSense and expanding precision diagnostics for IBD, we are poised to make a meaningful impact in improving outcomes for the 60-70 million Americans suffering from GI diseases.”
Aldredge most recently was vice president of lab Operations, facilities and real estate at Cambridge, Massachusetts-based Bluerock Therapeutics.
Geneoscopy has 55 employees, with more than half of its workers based in St. Louis, where its headquarters is at 2220 Welsch Industrial Court.
