A MEDICAL firm is creating jobs as part of a £2m investment to continue pioneering cancer work.

Urosens says it will use the cash to develop a urine test capable of detecting prostate and bladder cancer.

The firm, based in Sunderland, says the funding will allow it to commercialise its cancer test, known as Mcm5-Elisa, and strengthen plans for more trials in Europe and the US.

It added the investment will also it to increase its commercial and technical team from three to seven workers in the next six months.

Bosses say more than 40,000 new cases of prostate cancer and 11,000 of bladder cancer are diagnosed every year in the UK, with many resulting in unnecessary biopsies.

However, Dr Ian Campbell, Urosens’ chief executive, said its test would reduce the number of patients going through the process, while delivering more accurate results.

He said: “This investment will enable us to expand our team and provide patients with a simple non-invasive test.”

The company was backed in a funding round led by Longwall Venture Partners, with support from shareholders such as Northstar Ventures, Esperante BV and Cambridge Capital Group.

Alex Buchan, Northstar Ventures’ investment manager, added: “This technology is really exciting.

“For the first time, it’s possible to detect the presence of cancers using urine samples rather than unpleasant, invasive methods.

“The speed and cost of the test makes screening a real possibility and there is a tremendous potential for tests for other cancers as well.”