Accurately assessing the risk of melanoma recurrence and metastasis remains a challenge in clinical practice, particularly for patients diagnosed with early-stage disease. MLA Diagnostics is developing a non-invasive risk assessment tool that combines epigenetic tumour information with clinical and pathological data to help clinicians improve prognostic assessment and support treatment and surveillance decisions.

Egbert Smit, CEO of MLA Diagnostics, introduced the company’s technology during the Health~Holland Global Investor Forum 2026. Watch the pitch presentation to learn more about the company’s approach to melanoma risk assessment and its potential role in personalised patient care.

Addressing the risk of melanoma recurrence

Cutaneous melanoma is the most aggressive form of skin cancer and can progress rapidly. When detected early, it can often be treated successfully through surgical excision. However, recurrence and progression remain significant concerns, including for patients initially diagnosed with early-stage disease.

According to MLA Diagnostics, approximately 20–30% of patients with early-stage melanoma may develop a recurrence. Some patients who later develop metastases are initially classified as having a relatively low risk based on conventional clinical and pathological indicators.

Pathologists and dermatologists currently use parameters such as tumour thickness and ulceration to assess melanoma risk. While these indicators provide valuable information, they do not always accurately identify which patients will experience recurrence or progression. This can result in some patients being underestimated in terms of risk, while others classified as high risk may not experience a recurrence.

Additional prognostic tools could help improve patient stratification and support more tailored surveillance and treatment strategies.

Combining epigenetic and clinical information

MLA Diagnostics is developing a multi-parameter, non-invasive melanoma risk assessment tool designed to identify individuals at increased risk of metastasis or recurrence.

The company’s approach combines epigenetic information derived from the tumour with clinical and pathological parameters in an integrated assessment tool. By bringing together these different sources of information, MLA Diagnostics aims to improve the prognostic assessment of melanoma patients and provide additional support for clinical decision-making.

A key component of the company’s epigenetic approach is the methylation status of the promoter of lymphocyte antigen 75 (LY75). MLA Diagnostics reports that LY75 promoter methylation has been identified as a strong predictor of poor clinical outcomes.

Based on this research, the company has developed a methylation-specific polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test intended to contribute to the clinical assessment of a patient’s risk of recurrence within five years.

Supporting more personalised care

The objective of MLA Diagnostics’ technology is to provide additional information that can help distinguish patients at higher and lower risk of melanoma recurrence. Improved risk assessment could support more personalised approaches to patient monitoring and treatment, while helping clinicians make decisions based on a broader set of patient-specific data.

The company’s integrated approach reflects a wider shift towards using molecular information alongside established clinical indicators to improve prognostic assessment and support more individualised healthcare.

Further clinical validation and implementation will be important in determining how the technology can be incorporated into routine clinical practice.

Pitch at Global Investor Forum 2027

MLA Diagnostics presented its melanoma risk assessment technology at the Health Holland Global Investor Forum 2026, which brings together innovative life sciences and health companies, investors and industry partners.

The next edition of the Health Holland Global Investor Forum will take place on 10–11 March 2027 in Utrecht, the Netherlands, alongside Innovation for Health.

Are you developing an innovative biotech, medtech, healthcare or life sciences company and looking for opportunities to connect with investors and industry partners? Apply for the opportunity to pitch your company at the Global Investor Forum 2027.

The event offers selected start-ups and scale-ups the opportunity to present their innovations to an audience of investors, industry representatives and other stakeholders from the Life Sciences and Health ecosystem.

Interested in pitching your company? Book your pitching slot via the Global Investor Forum website.