Sysmex Inostics' OncoBEAM(TM) liquid biopsy technology demonstrates utility for clinical management of melanoma patients undergoing treatment with targeted therapy and immune checkpoint inhibitors

Hamburg, Germany (ots) - Sysmex Inostics, a pioneer in blood-based
circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) analysis and molecular diagnostics for
oncology, is pleased to announce publication of a study in the
Journal of Molecular Oncology highlighting the important clinical
value of blood-based ctDNA mutation testing to complement
standard-of-care management of patients with advanced melanoma.
Investigators at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine utilized
Sysmex Inostics' CLIA-certified OncoBEAM liquid biopsy tests to
examine the clinical utility of ctDNA measurements as an adjunct to
radiographic imaging for monitoring disease activity and to inform
clinical decision-making in patients undergoing treatment with
targeted therapy or immune checkpoint inhibitors. This investigation
represents one of the first to provide direct evidence of the impact
of ctDNA on interpretation of radiographic data and clinical outcomes
and furthers the extensive clinical validation of OncoBEAM, which is
the current gold-standard for liquid biopsy testing.

Advanced melanoma is challenging to treat, with overall 5-year
survival rates of around 20%, meaning only 1 in 5 patients will
survive for 5 years after diagnosis. Although current targeted and
immune-based therapies have demonstrated remarkable anti-tumor
ef?cacy in patients with advanced melanoma, numerous challenges exist
towards ensuring patients receive the most highly-effective
treatment. Currently, tissue testing is preferred for detection of
actionable mutations; however, it is known that false negative calls
may result when the tissue sample testing fails to capture genomic
profiles of interest, sometimes due to molecular heterogeneity.
Additionally, radiographic imaging, which includes CT and PET scans,
is the current standard-of-care for evaluation of therapeutic
response. However, several clinical research groups have previously
demonstrated difficulties associated with interpreting imaging in
patients undergoing treatment with immunotherapies as tumors may
appear to grow before eventually regressing. Furthermore,
microscopic occult disease that can drive tumor progression may go
undetected by even the most sensitive radiographic techniques.
Together, the result is that current standard-of-care practices may,
in some cases, fail to yield vital clinical information.

With these clinical challenges in mind, investigators at the Johns
Hopkins University School of Medicine led by Drs. Evan Lipson,
Medical Oncology, and Steven Rowe, Radiological Sciences, sought to