Quest Diagnostics LeukoVantage
Quest Diagnostics has launched LeukoVantage, a testing service to aid doctors in the diagnosis, prognosis, and monitoring of myeloid cancers, such as acute myeloid leukemia (AML), myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS), and myeloproliferative neoplasm.
Quest said LeukoVantage complements standard diagnostic techniques. The test employs next-generation sequencing, PCR, and other methods to gauge mutations in 30 genes linked to myeloid neoplasms and to quickly diagnose patients in the early stages of disease, monitor minimal residual disease, and direct them to targeted drugs such as JAK2 inhibitors.
According to Quest, LeukoVantage can detect genetic mutations in greater than 95 percent of newly diagnosed AML cases. The firm also highlighted LeukoVantage's potential to guide treatment decisions with epigenetic modifying drugs for AML and MDS patients.
BGI Online
BGI has launched BGI Online, a new cloud computing platform that offers a one-stop shop for managing next generation sequencing projects, creating and running analysis pipelines as well as storing and sharing large quantities of data.
The system comes with pre-installed best practices pipelines, and users also have the option to construct and run customized pipelines using BGI's Docker-based software development kit. It uses an advanced resource management engine to distribute computational tasks precisely, provides real-time task monitoring, include a mechanisms for preventing job crashes, and it responds promptly to errors. Users can share data and tools publicly or privately and they can choose whether or not to make those resources available for free or to charge a fee. New users get 30,000 free credits.
Selah Genomics PrecisionPath Colon
Selah Genomics, the US subsidiary of UK-based EKF Diagnostics, has launched PrecisionPath Colon, a next-generation sequencing-based test designed to help oncologists make treatment decisions for their colon cancer patients.
The test involves extracting DNA from a patient's tumor tissue and molecularly profiling it use Thermo Fisher Scientific Ion Torrent NGS equipment. Results will be included in a report to a patient's oncologist via a web portal to Selah's laboratory information system. PrecisionPath Colon is priced at $975, and the company said it is offering a maximum seven-day turnaround time.
Selah will offer the test out of one of its two CLIA-certified laboratories in Greenville, South Carolina: one at the Greenville Health System Institute for Translational Oncology Research, where the test was developed; and another at Selah's nearby facility. The test is available to clinicians in the US, except the state of New York, through Selah; and outside the US through EKF.
PrecisionPath Colon will be the first of multiple PrecisionPath products from the company. Selah also eventually plans to offer PrecisionPath Lung and PrecisionPath Breast, among tests for other sites of cancer origin.
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