Illumina to Present New Research at ASCO 2024 Advancing Genomic Testing as Standard of Care in Oncology

China Finance Network, May 30th: Yesterday, Illumina (NASDAQ: ILMN) announced that it will present its latest research findings at the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) Annual Meeting to be held in Chicago from May 31st to June 4th.

Key highlights include data from several studies conducted in collaboration with Labcorp, a global leading innovative integrated laboratory services provider; research carried out in partnership with the Sarah Cannon Research Institute (SCRI), further demonstrating the advantages of comprehensive genomic profiling (CGP) over single-gene testing (SGT); and the latest data supporting the development of Illumina’s minimal residual disease (MRD) detection, which is currently being advanced in collaboration with large pharmaceutical companies. During the conference, Illumina had 14 research abstracts accepted by the meeting.

　　Illumina and Labcorp Co-Present Five Research Abstracts at ASCO Meeting

Illumina and Labcorp Co-Present Five Abstracts at ASCO, Demonstrating Clinical Impact of Comprehensive Biomarker Testing for Patients with Various Cancer Types

"By collaborating with Illumina, we are leveraging the strengths of our respective teams to deploy opportunities for innovative research," said Shakti Ramkissoon, M.D., Vice President and Head of Oncology at Labcorp. "This algorithm is particularly exciting as a potential tool to improve the assessment of MSI status."

　　More Evidence Supports Comprehensive Genomic Profiling (CGP) Over Single-Gene Testing (SGT)

Illumina continues to collaborate with leading research institutions to validate the clinical utility and value of CGP testing. CGP is a single next-generation sequencing test that evaluates hundreds of genes, including relevant cancer biomarkers, to guide treatment decisions. This year, a real-world analysis completed in collaboration with SCRI will provide data demonstrating the performance of CGP compared to SGT in selecting guideline-recommended biomarkers for non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).

"Research findings indicate that only 1.2% of the time did IV-stage NSCLC patients who underwent SGT obtain results for all nine guideline-recommended biomarkers, whereas patients who underwent CGP testing obtained results for all nine biomarkers 71.7% of the time," stated Dr. Vivek Subbiah, Director of the Early Drug Development Unit at SCRI. "Our findings clearly demonstrate that reliance solely on single-gene tests or single-gene hotspot testing can lead to incomplete biomarker assessment, thereby impacting targeted therapy for NSCLC patients. To ensure optimal treatment outcomes for patients, we must transition to comprehensive next-generation sequencing as the standard of care for NSCLC."

This work builds on the research evidence provided by Illumina and its collaborators at the ASCO2023 meeting, including a study conducted in collaboration with Labcorp, which showed that initial use of SGT increased the cancellation rate of subsequent CGP testing. The study concluded that the practice of SGT in the oncology specialty does not align with guideline recommendations and negatively impacts the potential benefits of subsequent CGP for NSCLC patients.

　　Data Shows Progress in Minimal Residual Disease (MRD) Detection

At the 2024 ASCO Conference, Illumina will present the analytical performance evaluation of its MRD test, highlighting its rapid turnaround time, low input requirements, and higher sensitivity and specificity compared to existing market options. Earlier this year, Illumina announced a collaboration with pharmaceutical companies to innovate its MRD research assay, which is currently under development with whole-genome sequencing at its core.

"We are committed to conducting impactful research to advance the value of genomic testing in cancer treatment," said Pratheesh Sathyan, Head of Oncology for the Americas at Illumina. The research findings announced at ASCO this year, conducted in collaboration with Eurofins, Labcorp, and SCRI, will help patients access precise oncology solutions.

Nicole Berry, Head of Illumina's Americas Region, stated that Illumina has engaged in extensive collaborations with various parties across the fields of oncology, research, clinical applications, and reimbursement. These partnerships are dedicated to generating robust research evidence to help cancer patients improve treatment outcomes through genomic testing. "Through our long-term commitment in this field, we are able to support our customers and partners in achieving their goals of advancing precision oncology, ultimately benefiting patients worldwide."