Reccan Joins EU-Led SHIELD Project to Revolutionize Early Pancreatic Cancer Detection

LUND, Sweden | June 3, 2025 — Reccan AB announces its pivotal role in the launch of SHIELD, a €14 million, Horizon Europe-funded project dedicated to transforming the early detection of pancreatic cancer across Europe. The initiative brings together 26 partners from 13 countries, all focused on improving survival rates through proactive diagnostics in high-risk individuals.

Driving Innovation in Early Detection

At the heart of SHIELD is Reccan-IA, a cutting-edge blood-based multiplex immunoassay developed by Reccan. This non-invasive test has demonstrated 92% sensitivity and 96.8% specificity in initial studies—promising a leap forward in the early diagnosis of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC), one of the deadliest cancer types.

“Being funded is a proof of the importance to find pancreatic cancer at an early stage when it is still treatable and strengthens Reccan’s mission to develop a blood-based, easily accessible detection test,” says Anna Brodén, CEO of Reccan.

Reccan-IA will now enter clinical validation in a pan-European cohort of over 1,000 individuals with a strong genetic or familial predisposition to pancreatic cancer.

“By shifting from reactive to proactive diagnostics, Reccan is committed to delivering impactful innovations that save lives and reduce healthcare burdens,”
said Professor Roland Andersson, Reccan founder and clinical lead of SHIELD.

SHIELD: A Paradigm Shift in Cancer Screening

The SHIELD program will implement structured screening pilots in seven EU countries, offering annual blood tests for genetically high-risk individuals. It aims to reduce late-stage diagnoses and ultimately increase the five-year survival rate from less than 10% to 30% by 2035.

Reccan’s work in SHIELD reflects its unwavering mission to make early, accessible detection a standard for pancreatic cancer prevention.

About SHIELD:

SHIELD is a partnership of 27 leading research centers, clinical sites, patient groups, and industry partners in 13 European countries. With a shared vision to tackle pancreatic cancer, SHIELD develops and implements a non-invasive blood test for early detection in individuals with high genetic risk, ultimately improving patient outcomes and survival in Europe and in the rest of the world.

This project is funded by the European Union, under Grant Agreement no. 101214779. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the Health and Digital Executive Agency. Neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them.

This work has received funding from the Swiss State Secretariat for Education, Research and Innovation (SERI).