Hawkeye Bio and HealthQuest Esoterics Announce LEAP Blood Test Availability to Support Early Lung Cancer Detection

Collaboration pairs patented biosensor technology with HealthQuest’s clinical laboratory expertise and established delivery infrastructure

IRVINE, CA, UNITED STATES, October 26, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ — Hawkeye Bio, Inc., a developer of proprietary protease biosensors for early cancer detection, and HealthQuest Esoterics, Inc., an established full-service medical reference laboratory, today announced the commercial availability through HealthQuest of LEAP (Lung Enzyme Activity Profile), a prescription blood test designed to support early lung cancer detection and complement low-dose CT screening. LEAP uses Hawkeye’s proprietary graphene biosensor technology to measure patterns of protease enzyme activity associated with lung cancer. Testing is performed at HealthQuest’s CLIA-certified laboratory in Irvine, California, with results available within seven days of sample receipt.

The collaboration brings together Hawkeye’s biosensor research and assay-development capabilities with HealthQuest’s laboratory validation expertise, established physician relationships, specimen-collection network and clinical testing operations. The companies see this collaboration as a foundation for bringing additional diagnostic applications into clinical use as they are developed and validated.

Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer death in the U.S. and is projected to kill approximately 125,000 Americans in 2026—more than colorectal and pancreatic cancers combined (1). Fewer than one in five (2) of the estimated 14.2 million (3) U.S. adults eligible under U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) criteria reported being up to date with their annual lung cancer screening. Millions remain unscreened, and opportunities to detect lung cancer while it may still be curable are lost. Closing this screening gap is an urgent public health priority.

LEAP is intended to provide early biological information for additional physician assessment alongside guideline-recommended low-dose CT screening. A negative LEAP result does not rule out lung cancer, and an abnormal result recommends further clinical evaluation.

“Our goal is to help more people find lung cancer early, when the opportunity for curative treatment is greatest,” said André de Fusco, CEO and co-founder of Hawkeye Bio. “HealthQuest brings the laboratory expertise, established operations and physician support needed to translate our biosensor technology into a dependable clinical service. Together, we aim to help physicians engage more eligible patients for recommended screening and eliminate tens of thousands of preventable deaths each year.”

HealthQuest Esoterics independently validated LEAP clinical performance within the formal analytic validation of the commercial test. The study demonstrated 95% sensitivity across all lung cancer stages and subtypes. Based on this performance, LEAP has a projected negative predictive value of 99.9% in the intended use population, meaning a negative result is highly likely to correctly indicate the absence of cancer. LEAP is available as a self-pay laboratory-developed test (LDT) and is not currently covered by insurance. LEAP has not been cleared or approved by the FDA.

“We built HealthQuest to give physicians reliable results and responsive service they can count on,” said Tom Giancursio, CEO of HealthQuest Esoterics. “LEAP extends that mission by combining Hawkeye’s proprietary science with our laboratory expertise and established clinical relationships. Our role is to make validated innovations practical to order and deliver through dependable testing, coordinated specimen collection and support for the physicians caring for these patients.”

“LEAP measures patterns of protease activity associated with lung cancer, providing a different view of disease biology from tests that measure biomarker quantity alone,” said Paul Dempsey, Chief Science Officer and co-founder of Hawkeye Bio. “Protease enzymes are involved in how cancer interacts with surrounding tissue and the immune system. For the high-risk population evaluated in our studies, we assess sensitivity together with specificity and stage-specific performance. For individuals eligible for screening under USPSTF guidelines, our priority is high sensitivity to minimize the risk of missed cancers.”

Healthcare providers can request ordering instructions, specimen requirements, current self-pay pricing and clinical information by contacting info@hawkeyebio.com or info@hqesoterics.com.

About Hawkeye Bio, Inc.
Hawkeye Bio is a biotechnology company advancing early cancer detection through blood-based testing. Its proprietary graphene biosensor platform measures protease activity—biological signals associated with cancer development—to support the development of tests for earlier disease detection. The company’s first product, LEAP (Lung Enzyme Activity Profile), is a prescription blood test designed to support early lung cancer detection and complement low-dose CT screening. Hawkeye is also developing applications across additional cancers and women’s health, with a mission to make early detection more accessible and cost-effective. For more information, please visit https://www.hawkeyebio.com or contact us at: info@hawkeyebio.com.

About HealthQuest Esoterics, Inc.
HealthQuest Esoterics, Inc. is an established clinical reference laboratory based in Irvine, California, providing diagnostic testing services to healthcare providers, clinics and hospitals. Its testing portfolio spans clinical chemistry, endocrinology, molecular diagnostics and infectious diseases. Operating since 2015, HealthQuest combines experienced scientists and technologists with capabilities in test development and validation, clinical testing, specimen logistics and physician support. The company works closely with healthcare professionals to provide actionable medical insights and expand access to innovative diagnostics. HealthQuest’s approach emphasizes quality, reliable turnaround and responsive service throughout the testing process. For more information, please visit www.hqesoterics.com or contact us at: info@hqesoterics.com

Media Contacts:

media@hawkeyebio.com
Hawkeye Bio, Inc.

media@hqesoterics.com
HealthQuest Esoterics, Inc.

(1) American Cancer Society – Key Statistics for Lung Cancer – Jan 13, 2026. https://www.cancer.org/cancer/types/lung-cancer/about/key-statistics.html
(2) American Cancer Society – Latest ACS Lung Cancer Data – November 19, 2025; reporting 2024 National Health
Interview Survey results. https://pressroom.cancer.org/2025-lung-cancer-data14-
(3) USPSTF: https://www.uspreventiveservicestaskforce.org/uspstf/recommendation/lung-cancer-screening

ANDRE DE FUSCO
Hawkeye Bio, Inc.

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