Laboratory services firm Labcorp has announced the expansion of its precision oncology portfolio, aimed at supporting clinical research and advancing drug development programs.
It includes the launch of Labcorp Plasma Direct, a whole-genome sequencing molecular residual disease (MRD) solution for early-stage colon cancer. The tumor-informed circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) solution is designed to help identify patients at increased risk of cancer recurrence after surgery or adjuvant chemotherapy (ACT). It tracks tumor-specific mutations in cell-free DNA and is intended as a highly sensitive and specific ctDNA MRD test for clinical research and biopharmaceutical drug development.
Plasma Direct will be used to support the MEDOCC-CrEATE trial, an interventional randomized study that will provide insight into the willingness of stage II colon cancer patients to be treated with ACT, and whether ACT can prevent recurrences in a high-risk population.
Labcorp also announced the enhancement of Labcorp Plasma Complete, a next-generation sequencing (NGS)-based ctDNA genomic profiling assay, and the expansion of its capabilities in cell and gene therapy and the development of antibody–drug conjugates.
The firm said it was investing to support its pharmaceutical, biotechnology, and clinical research partners in bringing groundbreaking therapies to market.
"Labcorp is at the forefront of the evolution of precision oncology, expanding the understanding and application of biomarkers, enabling innovative technologies and platforms to deliver improved genomic profiling solutions, and delivering solutions designed to improve patient outcomes," said Dr. Brian Caveney, Labcorp's chief medical and scientific officer.
Labcorp Plasma Detect is currently clinically validated for early-stage colon cancer—data on the test was due to be presented at the annual meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) in San Diego this week—with ongoing efforts to expand into other indications, including lung cancer and bladder cancer.
The Labcorp Plasma Complete assay has been enhanced with matched analysis of white blood cells that enables identification of germline variants and clonal hematopoietic variants that confound most ctDNA-based profiling approaches, Labcorp said in a statement.
