By extracting and analyzing biomarker data in interstitial fluid (ISF), we can better detect and treat a range of diseases much earlier.
June 3, 2025 Medical Design & Outsourcing
Pending FDA approval, the Kiffik Lab will be commercially available for at-home colorectal cancer testing in mid-2026. [Image courtesy of Kiffik Biomedical]
In the mid-1800s, British physician Dr. Henry Bence Jones began testing the blood and urine of patients to look for signs of a protein indicative of multiple myeloma. Bence Jones is credited as being the first to explore biomarker testing to help identify specific diseases. It’s worth noting that more than 175 years ago, early cancer detection and treatment was top of mind for doctors.
Nearly everything we know about healthcare has evolved since Bence Jones was treating patients, yet a gold standard for biomarker testing remains elusive. The issue, when simplified, comes down to two things: the value of material being tested and the method by which these materials are harvested and analyzed.
The promise of interstitial fluid for biomonitoring
Bence Jones’s work serves as a blueprint as we work to find innovative new methods to identify diseases within the body, ideally before symptoms are present. What’s striking, however, is that the approach is largely the same. Blood and urine have been the main source of biomarker testing for many years, and more recently, advanced testing using stool and saliva samples have been commercialized. While each approach has upside benefits, at Kiffik Biomedical, we feel there is an untapped source of health information in the human body called interstitial fluid (ISF).
Our team often refers to ISF as “the secret within our bodies” since it is so prevalent, yet often overlooked. ISF surrounds every cell in the body and carries thousands of different biomarkers that reveal hidden secrets about a person’s health. It’s a proverbial superhighway operating 24/7 to transport data-rich proteins around the body. (You can watch a video about ISF below or here.)
One benefit of ISF is that, like blood, it has exposure to all organs within the body, allowing it to be a trove of information. Recent studies have shown ISF holds at least 50% more unique biomarkers than blood. It’s for these reasons that we are committed to pioneering a new class of ISF biomarker testing designed to improve early detection capabilities for cancer and other deadly diseases.
How ISF analysis works
If we know how and where ISF works in the body, the challenge becomes getting access to it in an efficient and optimized way. This includes considering the patient experience around ISF collection. Blood draws are common in healthcare, but many patients resist due to the puncturing of skin with hypodermic needles. Other methods for bodily fluid collection can be equally distressing and uncomfortable.
At Kiffik, we have engineered a platform called the Kiffik Lab, which collects ISF from the body without messy collection samples or puncturing of the skin. This is done through a proprietary process involving electroporation.
A wearable device similar to a glucose monitor uses a low electric charge to create micro-openings in the skin. Once opened, ISF is extracted through the pores by negative pressure. The fluid is collected in a built-in collection tube, which is then tested by users in the comfort of their home to check for cancerous biomarkers.
This testing process is very similar to an at-home COVID test. Within minutes, the Kiffik Lab can indicate the presence of cancerous biomarkers. This early detection is directly correlated to better treatment outcomes.
Endless possibilities for ISF testing
The word “breakthrough” is a double-edged sword in the sense that it gives hope to scientists and patients, but typically takes years of further development to refine. When we began our journey to tap into the therapeutic potential of ISF, our team had to decide which disease indications could benefit the most from early detection. It’s no coincidence that we arrived at the same conclusion as Bence Jones— cancer.
Oncologists and researchers have been toiling for decades to treat (and hopefully one day cure) cancer. Just in the last decade, new treatment innovations have revolutionized how cancer patients are cared for. Our vision at Kiffik is to work alongside these professionals to help detect cancer before a patient becomes “sick.”
The growing prevalence of colorectal cancer, particularly in younger adults, is why we chose to focus on that as our lead indication. The wealth of data in ISF allows for testing of many other cancer types, including pancreatic, breast and prostate cancer.
The journey to revolutionize cancer detection is both challenging and exciting. Our team is working hard to usher in next-generation technology that can benefit millions of people who want to take better control of their health. I strongly believe if Dr. Bence Jones were alive today, he would celebrate our collective efforts to use biomarkers for early disease detection and treatment. Test early, live fully!
