News and Blog

Comprehensive genomic profiling is emerging as a powerful tool in our arsenal to treat cancer. It’s easy to see why: with a minimal amount of sample, clinicians are able to identify all four types of genetic alterations across a large set of genes with known relevance to cancer. When you consider that up to 90% of patients who undergo comprehensive genomic profiling may have an actionable genetic alteration1-6 , you begin to understand how this new diagnostic tool can revolutionize cancer care.  

Next generation sequencing continues to gain traction as a standard of care as it becomes less complex and less costly. Targeted sequencing, in which only a subset of genes are enriched and amplified for sequencing, is especially cost effective. Clinicians are using the technique to more quickly provide answers to oncologists to ensure that patients actually get the right therapy. 

What is the one thing we must do if we are to give complex disease a run for its money? According to Rakesh Nagarajan, MD, PhD, Founder and Executive Chairman at PierianDx, we must amass and share patient data in a safe and compliant manner to answer complex questions more quickly. In this informational interview, Dr. Nagarajan sits down with VOL reporter, Daiva Sen, to discuss the importance of data sharing and other topics, including: 

• Universal healthcare systems and the importance of accessibility
• Genomic data sharing, regulation, and privacy
• Real-world evidence in managing patient care

To learn more, watch the video.

Precision medicine continues to gain traction, and increasingly, clinicians are turning to comprehensive genomic profiling to match the right drug to a patient using information about that patient’s genetic mutations.

Collaboration will create integrated clinical interpretation and reporting solution

Precision medicine is the ability to use genomic information to optimize diagnosis and treatment and provide better outcomes for patients. We Know Precision Medicine is a series of blog posts and articles about the people of PierianDx and how we know precision medicine through our expertise and personal experiences. In this blog post, a PierianDx employee shares what it’s like to live with cancer in the time of COVID-19.

Sequencing technology advances, such as comprehensive profiling assays, lower costs, and improved reimbursement continue to drive the adoption of clinical next generation sequencing. Organizations, such as Foundation Medicine, provide comprehensive NGS tests and resulting reports that physicians can order for patients with solid tumors. However, an increasing number of academic medical centers and healthcare organizations are opting to internalize their NGS testing program because it gives them greater control over tissue, turnaround time, and it provides more opportunity for interaction between ordering physicians and those running the tests. 

Arriving at the decision to build an internal NGS test menu is often the first hurdle for healthcare organizations. What comes next can be even more challenging.

Rakesh Nagarajan, MD, PhD, Founder and Executive Chairman PierianDx, recently sat down with Joseph Anderson, MD, The Personalized Diagnostics Podcast, to discuss the advent of personalized medicine and what it will take to make clinical NGS a routine part of healthcare. In particular, Rakesh and Joe discuss:

• How the industry is shifting to larger (50+ gene) panels
• How to think about bringing a test online and addressing complex components, such as validation
• How to address the variant interpretation bottleneck

To learn more, listen to the podcast.

Intermountain Healthcare joins PierianDx’s partner network to accelerate precision medicine

Funding led by ATW Partners and SJF Ventures with follow-on Investment from Health Catalyst Capital, RTI International, and Inova Health Systems

PierianDx will be highlighting germline features of its genomics technology platform at the American College of Medical Genetics and Genomics (ACMG) annual meeting April 2-6 in Seattle, Washington. 

Genomic tests that use next generation sequencing (NGS) technology are on the rise, and there’s a growing trend for hospitals to insource these tests to improve turnaround time and reduce costs. However, these tests can be challenging to implement. Challenges include lack of bioinformatics expertise, the cost and expense of deploying a new test, and reimbursement, to name a few.

In just under 15 years, next generation sequencing (NGS) has evolved from a technology that only an exclusive few research laboratories had access to, to one in use by nearly 300 clinical laboratories worldwide.^1,2