Neal sits down with Adam Jacobs, President of Xzōm, a San Diego company developing a near-patient platform for isolating and analyzing exosomes from a small blood sample in under 30 minutes.
Exosomes are tiny particles released by living cells that carry proteins and genetic material. Researchers believe these particles could provide useful signals about disease earlier or more dynamically than some existing biomarkers. Xzōm is working to turn that science into a compact testing platform, using a disposable cartridge and a mobile-device interface.
The company’s initial focus is early pancreatic-cancer detection. Adam also discusses how the underlying platform could potentially be adapted for other areas - including sepsis, preeclampsia, transplant monitoring, and neurological conditions - by changing the biomarkers targeted by each assay. Those applications would require their own development, clinical validation, and regulatory pathways.
Adam shares his unusual route to biotech: Torrey Pines High School, Cornell baseball, professional ball in Australia, a clothing brand, a yoga studio, and a consulting firm. He also explains how technology originating at UC San Diego eventually came back into his life, Xzōm’s partnership-led development model, and the role data analysis may play in interpreting complex biological signals.
Plus, Adam and Neal bond over a shared appreciation for Roberto’s on Carmel Valley Road.
Key topics
Isolating and analyzing exosomes on one chip in 30 minutes
Why exosomes catch disease earlier than DNA - “stage zero”
A point-of-care lab that runs on a cell phone
The difference between a versatile platform and a validated diagnostic test
From pancreatic cancer to sepsis, preeclampsia, and brain injury
How Xzōm works with clinical and commercial partners
Adam’s path from pro baseball to biotech
Why AI on the back end makes the whole thing work
Giving back: showing up, not just writing checks
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