Semantic Coherence: Elephas – Signal Evidence & AI Readability

Medical Oncologists

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See how their tumor responds—before you treat
elive™ Test is now available to select oncologists.

Pharma R&D

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Predict immunotherapy response from live tumor biopsies
De-risk pipeline decisions, optimize trial design, and identify likely responders.

Research Scientists

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Maintain and profile live human tissue
Measure the dynamic tissue microenvironment in native biological context.

[H3] elive™ is designed to provide real-time functional response prediction using standard of care core needle biopsy in three simple steps:

Prepare
Assess
Result

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Standard of care biopsies are prepared using a proprietary automated cutting instrument and gel, keeping tissue alive throughout assessment on the elive™ platform.

Learn more

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Mitigating the challenges of heterogeneity and low tissue volume, our sequential treatment strategy accurately assesses changes in cytokine response.

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Clinicians receive elive test reports via a secure, cloud-based web application.Researchers and drug developers receive a custom report based on project requirements. In addition to a report summarizing key findings, we provide raw data to facilitate in-house analysis.

Learn more

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Developed by an experienced team with expertise in clinical settings, pharma development and research

Meet our team

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Ready to support your needs
Our partnership model adapts to how you intend to use elive. Options include deploying the platform in your own lab, commissioning custom studies performed in ours, purchasing or leasing individual components, or joining our early access program for the elive Test. Contact us to explore what best fits your needs.

Get in touch

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DATA

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CONTACT US

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FAQs

[H1] Get in Touch

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About Elephas
Get In Touch

[H2] Let’s talk.

If you're interested in learning about elive™, clinical trials or general information, fill out the form below and we'll be in touch.

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FAQs

[H2] Frequently asked questions

Why is live tumor profiling important?

Live tumor profiling enables the measurement of changes in living tumor tissue following treatment. Unlike methods that rely on fixed tissue from a single time point, live tumor profiling provides a more accurate model of immunotherapy response because it preserves tumor and immune cell interactions and captures the dynamic changes that occur in real time following treatment. Live tumor profiling offers the potential to predict how a patient will respond to immunotherapy by mirroring how cancer cells may respond within the body.

Why are cytokines important in IO response prediction?

Cytokines are essential molecules involved in a variety of cellular processes including immune regulation, inflammation, wound healing, hematopoiesis, and cell differentiation. Most notably for oncology, cytokines activate and suppress immune cells that can attack cancer. By understanding the types of cytokines secreted after administration of an IO agent and the rate at which they are produced, researchers and physicians can better predict if a particular therapy activates cytotoxic T-cells for inhibiting cancer growth.

What are live tumor fragments? How do you keep them “alive” in culture?

Live tumor fragments are small pieces of tumor tissue, about the thickness of three human hairs, generated from tumor biopsies. Biopsies are cut into live tumor fragments and encapsulated in a hydrogel that supports cell health. The hydrogel creates a matrix around the live tumor fragments that mimics the physical structure of the tumor in vivo and helps to maintain the tumor microenvironment. Culture medium containing critical growth factors and nutrients is added to the live tumor fragments to keep cell populations viable for study ex vivo for up to 72 hours.

What is ex vivo functional profiling?

Experiments focused on the biological activity of specimen acquired from and kept alive outside the body. In this approach, the aim is to assess the responsiveness of cells to a particular drug or small molecule. Elephas scientists then observe the cells' responsiveness through cytokine profiling for T-cell activation. Ex vivo functional profiling for immunotherapy response allows physicians, researchers, and drug developers to better predict how a tumor is likely to respond to a drug.

What is tumor heterogeneity and how does it impact response to IO?

The term tumor heterogeneity means that not all cell types within a tumor are the same. A tumor is made up of a mixture of cells types with different characteristics, which leads to distinct subpopulations of cells that may grow at different rates or interact differently with the immune system. The tumor may also contain areas where the tissue is dead or necrotic.
Some tumor regions may be highly responsive to immunotherapy, while other tumor regions may evade immune attack or suppress the immune system. Depending on which part of the tumor is studied ex vivo, a different response to IO may be observed. As a result, it’s important to take measures to mitigate the challenge of tumor heterogeneity in ex vivo studies. Some studies use large amounts of tumor tissue from resections, cutting the tissue up into small pieces and mixing them together to minimize the effects of tumor heterogeneity. elive™ takes a different approach that enables the measurement of response to IO in small amounts of tumor tissue from core needle biopsies.

Why is preservation of the tumor microenvironment important for measuring IO response ex vivo?

The tumor microenvironment (TME) is a complex mixture of immune cells, stromal cells, tumor cells, and extracellular matrix proteins. Cells present in the TME secrete small proteins, called cytokines and chemokines, that act as signals to the surrounding immune cells and can either promote or inhibit tumor growth. Many factors including cell types and cytokines present in the tumor microenvironment influence whether it is immunosuppressive (sometimes called “cold”) or inflamed (sometimes called “hot”). Whether the TME is cold or hot drives response to immunotherapy. Maintenance of the native TME in ex vivo profiling of tumor tissue therefore offers the greatest potential to accurately predict the likelihood of response to immunotherapy, and understanding the TME will help researchers design more effective immunotherapies.

What is a sequential treatment strategy and how is it used to assess cytokine response?

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A sequential treatment strategy is an approach that is used to mitigate the challenge of tumor heterogeneity in small amounts of tissue, such as from core needle biopsies, when measuring cytokine response to IO ex vivo. The tumor tissue fragments are treated first with IgG control, called the control phase, followed by immune checkpoint inhibitor, called the treatment phase. This approach is different from the typical cross-well comparison experimental design, in which one replicate of tumor tissue is treated with a control and another replicate is treated with a drug, and the cytokine measurements from each replicate are compared. In the sequential treatment strategy, cytokine measurements from the control and treatment phase are taken from the same sample of tissue. This approach mitigates the challenge of tumor heterogeneity because tissue samples are compared to themselves at baseline, not another sample that may contain a different makeup of cells responding differently to treatment.

How is elive™ different from available predictive biomarkers?

Existing predictive biomarkers have limitations when guiding treatment decisions for cancer patients. Currently, only 1 in 5 patients respond to immune checkpoint inhibitor treatments.elive™ is an ex vivo platform that measures cytokine response in live tumor biopsies following treatment with immunotherapy. The platform provides functional insights to evaluate the likelihood of immunotherapy response.

What sample is required?

elive™ requires a fresh core needle biopsy, which can be obtained during a standard-of-care diagnostic procedure. Biopsies must be collected using 12- to 20-gauge probe, and be 10 mm or more in length.

What data or evidence do you have supporting the use of the platform?

Elephas has 2 ongoing clinical trials across 10 sites evaluating the concordance of response measured on the platform with patients’ clinical response. To date, we have measured cytokine responses to immune check point inhibitors (ICIs) from 186 patient biopsy specimens and 25% of specimens show a cytokine response to ICI on the platform. In our independent validation cohort of 20 patients with corresponding clinical data, elive™ correctly identified 8 of 9 patients (89%) who had an objective response to ICI (partial response or complete response), including 5 patients who were negative for standard-of-care ICI biomarkers. Further, all 5 of 5 patients (100%) with clinical progressive disease were identified as non-responders on the platform.

What cancer types are you measuring IO response to?

Elephas will evaluate any solid tumor that is eligible for immunotherapy. This includes head & neck, kidney, breast, liver, lung, and a variety of skin cancers that include melanoma or squamous cell carcinoma. We attempt to identify which treatment the tumor receives based on the cancer presented, then we apply the same treatment to our ex vivo model. In the absence of provider-guided therapy options, drugs are applied based on NCCN guidelines and drug labels.

What are the major steps involved in elive?

elive Edge – cutting instrument that precisely cuts biopsies in under 10 minutes in 300-micron sections at a 20-degree angle.elive Gel – proprietary hydrogel formulation that we use to encapsulate live tumor fragments to preserve the tumor microenvironment.elive Method – Sequential treatment and supernatant collection for cytokine profiling. Encapsulated fragments are kept alive over the course of 72 hours. Supernatants are collected at four time-points for downstream cytokine analysis: CT1 – 4 hours, CT2 – 24 hours, TX1 – 48 hours, ST1 – 72 hours.

Our mission is to develop an innovative platform that enables prediction of clinical treatment outcomes for cancer patients and accelerates drug development.

[H2] We are:

Passionate about improving the lives of cancer patients
Enthusiastic teachers
Grounded and gritty

Home
About Elephas
About Us

[H2] We're driven to improve the lives of those affected by cancer.

Cancer remains one of the world’s greatest health challenges, and the number of people affected is expected to rise dramatically in the decades ahead. Immunotherapies have reshaped what’s possible in cancer care yet understanding which patients will truly benefit from these treatments is still a critical unmet need.
At Elephas, we are driven by a single mission: to help people with cancer receive the therapies that will make the greatest difference in their lives. Our elive™ platform is a breakthrough live‑tissue technology designed to predict immunotherapy response with unprecedented precision.
By measuring real‑time immune activity in intact, living tumor tissue, elive moves beyond the limitations of traditional static tests. It reveals how a tumor responds to specific therapies ex vivo—bringing us closer to a future where every person receives the treatment that’s right for them.

Our mission is to improve the lives of those affected by cancer by designing, developing, and commercializing a platform for immunotherapy response prediction.  We are:
Passionate about improving the lives of cancer patients
Enthusiastic teachers
Grounded and gritty

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elive is tumor-agnostic and designed to:
Evaluate treatment options across indications and immunotherapies.
Gain actionable insights to support core translational and clinical development workstreams for IO development.
Accelerate discovery while preserving scientific rigor with functional insights from our technology and components.

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[H2] Looking ahead

As clinicians, scientists, and drug developers continue to expand what’s possible with elive, we are advancing the platform right alongside them. Our R&D teams are pushing boundaries—building next‑generation imaging capabilities and developing a preliminary assessment step to confirm the presence of malignant tissue before deeper analysis. These advancements are designed to strengthen the power, precision, and reliability of elive as we work toward transforming how immunotherapy decisions are made.

[H2] Meet the team

[H3] Our Leaders

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Maneesh Arora
Founder and Chief Executive Officer

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Premal Patel, MD
Chief Medical Officer

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Carolyn Morgan
Chief Commercial Officer

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Hinco Gierman, PhD
Chief Scientific Officer

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Terry Brady
Chief Financial Officer

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Mike Szulczewski
Executive Vice President of Technology

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Ann Leonard
Vice President of Quality & Regulatory

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Steven Fuhrman
Vice President of Software Engineering & IT

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Tammy Turek-Etienne, PhD
Vice President of Operations

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Erin Kaminsky
Vice President, Chief of Staff

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Prior to founding Elephas, Maneesh served as CEO of Farcast Biosciences, a venture-backed cancer diagnostics company focused on improving treatment outcomes for cancer patients. Earlier in his career, Maneesh spent a decade as Chief Operating Officer at Exact Sciences, where he helped scale the company from 3 employees to more than 3,000. During his tenure, Exact Sciences advanced its mission of early detection and prevention of colorectal cancer, including the development and commercialization of Cologuard in collaboration with the Mayo Clinic.
Before Exact Sciences, Maneesh held leadership roles at Third Wave Technologies, a molecular diagnostics company acquired by Hologic in 2008. There, he led business strategy and commercial operations and was later appointed Chief Financial Officer. Maneesh holds a BA in Economics from the University of Chicago and an MBA from the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University.

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Dr. Premal Patel is Chief Medical Officer at Elephas. Premal is a physician-scientist and biotechnology executive with over two decades of leadership experience spanning Genentech, Pfizer, Juno, Lyell, and eFFECTOR Therapeutics. He was most recently the Chief Executive Officer of Cellinfinity Bio, focused on a next-generation in vivo CAR-T therapy. As Chief Medical Officer at eFFECTOR, he redefined clinical strategy and helped guide a successful IPO.
Premal holds a BS in Pharmacy from Rutgers University, an MD and PhD from the University of Washington and completed his oncology fellowship at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center. Dr. Patel will add critical clinical insight as the company advances to launch.

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Carolyn serves as Chief Commercial Officer at Elephas, bringing more than 20 years of experience driving growth in the life sciences industry. Prior to Elephas, she was Chief Growth Officer at Precision AQ, where she managed multiple P&Ls, led global teams, and played a key role in executing strategic acquisitions in the U.S. and internationally.
Carolyn is widely recognized for her leadership, having been named one of PharmaVoice’s 100 most inspiring leaders in life sciences and receiving the MM+M “Women of Distinction” award. She has also been recognized in Orange County’s “40 Under 40.” She is actively involved in organizations including the Healthcare Businesswomen’s Association, International Women’s Forum, Massachusetts Biotechnology Council, and Women in Biotech. Carolyn holds a BS in Business Communications from Bentley University and is dedicated to mentoring future leaders through programs such as Pay it Forward for Tomorrow’s Women Today.

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Hinco brings more than 25 years of experience in oncology and genomics across both academia and industry. Prior to joining Elephas, he served as Vice President of Product Development at Integra Connect, where he led the development of enterprise analytical software solutions for clinicians and biopharma researchers. Earlier in his career, he was the Team Lead for scientific software at Illumina, contributing to the company’s Precision Medicine Platform.
Hinco earned his PhD in Oncology and Genomics from the University of Amsterdam and completed his postdoctoral research at Stanford University, where he focused on whole genome sequencing and bioinformatics. His work has resulted in more than 25 scientific publications, over 6,900 citations, and a patent.

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Terry is Chief Financial Officer at Elephas with more than 20 years of experience in finance and accounting. Prior to joining Elephas in 2020, Terry served as CFO at Farcast Biosciences. He also spent seven years as CFO of Freedom Graphic Systems, where he oversaw accounting, corporate development, purchasing, and legal functions.
Earlier in his career, Terry was a partner at a turnaround and management consulting firm and worked in public accounting at KPMG. He holds undergraduate and graduate degrees in Accounting from the University of Notre Dame and an MBA from the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University.

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Mike brings decades of experience in advanced imaging and optical innovation. Before joining Elephas, he founded Prairie Technologies, where he served as President and Chief Systems Architect until its acquisition by Bruker in 2013. Following the acquisition, Mike joined Bruker as General Manager, leading the integration of Prairie Technologies and establishing the company's Fluorescence Microscopy Division.
Mike has been a pioneer in laser microscopy, contributing to the development of the first commercial multi-photon microscope capable of combining electrical recording with imaging and photoactivation. He has also led innovations in confocal microscopy and high-speed laser scanning technologies with impact across academic and industry research labs worldwide. Mike earned a BS in Electrical Engineering from the University of Wisconsin–Madison.

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Ann brings more than 25 years of experience in Quality and Regulatory Affairs across medical devices, biopharmaceuticals, and consumer products. Since joining Elephas in 2020, she has played a key role in advancing quality systems and regulatory compliance. Prior to Elephas, Ann held leadership roles at Mueller Sports Medicine and Thermo Fisher Scientific and operated her own consulting business for nearly a decade.
Her experience includes establishing ISO 13485-compliant quality management systems, leading regulatory remediation efforts, and developing training and supplier quality programs. Ann holds a BS in Animal Science from Iowa State University, an MBA in Quality Management from Upper Iowa University, and a professional certificate in International Biopharmaceutical Regulatory Affairs from Northeastern University. She is also a Certified Manager of Quality and Organizational Excellence through the American Society for Quality.

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Steve brings more than 20 years of experience in information technology, software development, and systems implementation. Prior to joining Elephas, he served as Vice President of IT Operations at Exact Sciences, where he led enterprise IT strategy and supported systems for products including Cologuard® and Oncotype DX.
Earlier in his career, Steve founded and led multiple technology companies, including Sampleminded, a SaaS provider of laboratory information systems for life sciences and clinical trials, and Helio, a system integrator focused on ERP, supply chain, and customer experience platforms. He holds an MBA with a specialization in Management of Technology from the University of Utah.

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Tammy brings more than 25 years of operational leadership experience across the life sciences industry. At Elephas, she oversees manufacturing, supply chain, engineering, and technical operations. Prior to joining Elephas, Tammy served as Vice President of Operations at Exact Sciences, where she supported multiple product lines including Cologuard®, Oncotype DX, and other laboratory-developed tests.
Previously, Tammy held leadership roles at Thermo Fisher Scientific, where she managed the production of over 500 life sciences products and established SelectScreen Screening and Profiling Services. She began her career at Schering-Plough Research Institute in high-throughput screening and drug discovery. Tammy earned her PhD in Organic Chemistry from the University of Minnesota and a BS in Chemistry from the University of Wisconsin–Madison.

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Erin Kaminsky currently serves as VP, Chief of Staff, and has held roles of increasing responsibility since the launch of Elephas in 2020. Previously, Erin held the role of Executive Business Partner for Farcast Biosciences, a venture-backed cancer diagnostic company.
Prior to her time with Farcast, Erin spent 8 years with Wolverine Worldwide, a global footwear manufacturer with a portfolio of owned and licensed brands. During her tenure Erin led merchandising and operational functions for multiple brands and was consistently recognized for operational excellence. Erin’s experience also includes additional corporate retail roles focused on planning and allocation.
Erin graduated Magna Cum Laude from Western Michigan University’s Haworth College of Business.

[H3] Our Board of Directors

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Steven K. Galson, M.D., M.P.H.
Independent Board Member

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Andrea Jackson
Board Member

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Corey Ritter
Board Member

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Maneesh K. Arora
Founder, CEO, and Board Member

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Steven K. Galson, MD, MPH, is a consultant to Amgen and serves on the Board of Directors of Insilico Medicine and Biocryst Pharmaceuticals. Until June 2020 he was a senior vice president of Research and Development at Amgen. He joined the company in 2010 as vice president of Global Regulatory Affairs. Prior to Amgen, Dr. Galson was senior vice president for Civilian Health Operations and chief health scientist at Science Applications International Corporation.
Dr. Galson spent more than 20 years in government service, including two years as acting Surgeon General of the United States. Previously, he served as director of the FDA’s Center for Drug Evaluation and Research (CDER), where he provided leadership for the center’s broad national and international programs in pharmaceutical regulation.
Dr. Galson began his public health service career as an epidemiological investigator at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) after completing a residency in internal medicine at the Hospitals of the Medical College of Pennsylvania. He also held senior-level positions at the Environmental Protection Agency; the Department of Energy, where he was chief medical officer; and the Department of Health and Human Services.

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Andrea Jackson is a Partner at Northpond Ventures. Andrea joined Northpond in 2020 after 12 years of operating and finance roles in small and large scientific and technology companies. Andrea’s work at Northpond focuses on leading the people operations and portfolio management of the investment team. She is a Board Director at multiple health technology, diagnostic and life science companies. Previous operating roles spanned commercial, sales, product management and operational roles at life science startups and large companies such as PerkinElmer (NYSE: PKI) and Millipore. Before her operating roles, Andrea worked in JPMorgan’s Healthcare Investment Banking team and focused on life science tools, diagnostics, and biotechnology companies. Andrea received an MBA from Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University and a B.A. with honors from Washington University in St. Louis.

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Corey Ritter is a Partner at ARCH Venture Partners, having joined the firm in 2018. Corey’s work at ARCH focuses on new company formation and early-stage investments. He co-founded Vizgen and Scale Biosciences, and he is a director at several life science and technology companies, including Slingshot Biosciences, Enumerix, and Quantum Circuits, Inc. Prior to ARCH, Corey was an associate with the University of Chicago Innovation Fund, a seed fund that supports and invests in spinouts from U Chicago and Argonne National Lab. Previously, Corey was an active duty officer in the US Army. He holds a BA in Astrophysics from Princeton University