An exclusive Breast Cancer Awareness Month interview with Theis Kipling, CEO of Biovica, exploring the role of blood-based biomarkers, personalised cancer care and the future of breast cancer diagnostics.

In breast cancer care, time matters. For patients living with advanced disease, understanding whether a treatment is working can make an important difference to the decisions made throughout their care.

Yet monitoring treatment response is not always straightforward. Clinicians may have to wait two to three months before imaging provides a clear indication of whether a treatment is working. During that time, patients continue with their prescribed therapies, sometimes experiencing side effects without knowing whether they are benefiting.

What if clinicians could gain meaningful insight sooner?

This question sits at the heart of the work being undertaken by Biovica, a Swedish diagnostics company developing blood-based approaches to cancer monitoring.

As part of Hartmann Young's Breast Cancer Awareness Month campaign, we spoke with Theis Kipling, CEO of Biovica, about the evolving role of biomarkers in breast cancer care, the importance of earlier treatment monitoring and the challenges of translating scientific innovation into clinical practice.

Why Earlier Breast Cancer Treatment Monitoring Matters

Advances in cancer treatment have created new possibilities for patients living with metastatic breast cancer. As treatments improve and patients live longer with the disease, the ability to monitor treatment effectiveness over time becomes increasingly important.

However, a significant challenge remains: knowing when a treatment is working and when a different approach may be needed.

"Every month matters when someone is living with advanced cancer," explains Kipling.

"If a treatment is not working, a patient may spend months on side effects without benefit, and valuable time is lost before a better option is tried."

The reverse is equally important. Earlier confirmation that a treatment is having the intended effect can provide reassurance and support confidence in continuing the existing treatment plan.

Kipling emphasises that the goal is not to replace established monitoring methods, such as medical imaging, but to complement them with additional information.

The opportunity lies in giving clinicians a more continuous understanding of how an individual patient is responding, rather than relying solely on assessments conducted at longer intervals.

How Biovica's DiviTum TKa Test Supports Cancer Monitoring

Biovica is focused on addressing this need through its blood-based diagnostic test, DiviTum TKa.

The test measures thymidine kinase activity (TKa), a biomarker associated with cell proliferation, or how actively cells are dividing.

By measuring this activity in a blood sample, DiviTum TKa can provide information about biological changes associated with cancer activity.

For clinicians managing metastatic breast cancer, this creates an opportunity to gain additional insight into disease progression between routine imaging appointments.

Biovica's approach reflects a broader shift in cancer diagnostics: moving beyond understanding the characteristics of a tumour at diagnosis towards monitoring how the disease behaves throughout treatment.

The company's work also extends into pharmaceutical research, where its technology is used to help investigate how new cancer therapies act during clinical trials.

Importantly, the clinical use of any biomarker must be supported by appropriate evidence and interpreted alongside other relevant clinical information.

The Growing Role of Biomarkers in Personalised Breast Cancer Care

Personalised medicine has become an increasingly important focus across oncology.

Traditionally, much of the discussion has centred on selecting treatments based on the genetic or molecular characteristics of a patient's cancer.

While this remains essential, Kipling believes the next opportunity lies in understanding what happens after treatment begins.

"I see the greatest opportunity in monitoring," he explains.

Tumour genetics can help identify which treatments may be appropriate, while response biomarkers offer another layer of information about how a patient is responding to the therapy they receive.

Rather than treating personalised medicine as a single decision made at diagnosis, this approach recognises that treatment needs may change over time.

It also creates opportunities to explore how biomarkers could inform treatment dose, timing and ongoing management.

For Kipling, truly personalised cancer care is about more than identifying the right medicine.

"To me, personalised care continues after the first prescription."

It means recognising that every patient responds differently and that treatment decisions should evolve as new information becomes available.

A diagnostic test performed at diagnosis can establish an important starting point. Repeated measurements can help build a clearer picture of what happens next.

From Scientific Innovation to Real-World Clinical Impact

Developing promising diagnostic technology is only one part of improving patient care.

For new approaches to become widely adopted, they must demonstrate clinical value, achieve appropriate reimbursement and integrate into existing healthcare systems.

Kipling identifies several interconnected challenges facing diagnostic innovators.

Clinical evidence

Healthcare professionals, guideline bodies and payers need prospective evidence demonstrating that acting on a diagnostic result can improve patient outcomes.

Identifying a biological signal is important, but demonstrating how that information can meaningfully inform clinical decisions is a further step.

Access and reimbursement

Even when diagnostic technologies show promise, reimbursement and coverage can influence whether they become accessible in routine care.

Clinical integration

For a test to be useful in everyday practice, it must fit into the realities of a busy clinical environment. Straightforward sample collection, manageable logistics and clearly interpretable results all matter.

Partnerships and resources

For smaller diagnostics companies, advancing innovation requires considerable time, investment and collaboration.

Partnerships with clinical centres, laboratories and pharmaceutical organisations can play an important role in generating evidence and supporting wider adoption.

As Kipling acknowledges, progress requires patience and a realistic understanding of the challenges involved.

This is a particularly important distinction in an industry where scientific breakthroughs often attract attention long before they become part of everyday patient care.

The real measure of innovation is not simply whether a technology works, but whether it can be translated into something clinicians can use and patients can benefit from.

What Could Breast Cancer Monitoring Look Like in the Next Decade?

Looking five to ten years ahead, Kipling is optimistic about the direction of breast cancer care.

As treatments continue to develop, more patients are living with metastatic breast cancer for extended periods. This creates a growing need for monitoring approaches that can support ongoing disease management.

His vision is one in which routine cancer monitoring becomes more frequent, accessible and responsive.

Rather than waiting months to understand how treatment is progressing, clinicians could potentially gain useful information within weeks, supporting earlier consideration of whether adjustments are needed.

Kipling describes an ambition for cancer monitoring to become as routine as checking vital signs.

Achieving this would require further clinical evidence, effective implementation and continued collaboration across the healthcare and life sciences ecosystem.

Nevertheless, it represents a compelling direction for the future of personalised oncology.

The Value of Knowing Sooner

Biovica's work highlights an important evolution in cancer diagnostics.

As the life sciences industry continues to develop increasingly sophisticated therapies, the technologies used to monitor their effectiveness must evolve alongside them.

Earlier insight, more personalised treatment monitoring and better integration of diagnostic information into clinical decision-making all have the potential to shape the next generation of cancer care.

But translating that potential into routine clinical practice will depend on more than scientific innovation alone. It will require robust evidence, accessible technologies and collaboration between diagnostics companies, pharmaceutical developers and healthcare professionals.

For Hartmann Young, conversations with leaders such as Theis Kipling offer valuable insight into the people and organisations working to advance the life sciences industry.

During Breast Cancer Awareness Month, we are proud to highlight the companies exploring new approaches to breast cancer diagnostics and the individuals helping move innovation towards meaningful clinical impact.

Because when it comes to cancer care, knowing sooner could make all the difference.
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About Biovica

Biovica is a Swedish diagnostics company with laboratory operations in the United States. Its DiviTum TKa blood test measures thymidine kinase activity, a biomarker associated with cell proliferation, to provide information that can support the monitoring of cancer disease progression.

Learn more at www.biovica.com.

About Hartmann Young

Hartmann Young is a specialist life sciences executive search and recruitment partner, connecting innovative organisations with the leadership and talent needed to support growth and advancement across the industry.

We regularly share perspectives from the companies, innovators and leaders shaping the future of life sciences.

Written by
Cailyn Smedley, Marketing Lead, Hartmann Young