Current funding will cover the test’s development, and Grail may seek more for human trials, according to Huber. It’s unclear if the U.S. Food and Drug Administration will require the startup to submit the test for clearance before marketing. Huber said he “looks forward to working with the FDA for the best approach.”
Grail’s mission also has a personal dimension for Huber. His wife Laura died in November after a late-stage cancer diagnosis.
“I’m confident she got state-of-the-art care, but given the point that she was diagnosed, it was an uphill fight,” he said. “There’s a sense of urgency to have a high-quality test as quickly as possible.”