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Roche Launches Genomic Profiling Kit to Boost Oncology Research
The genomic profile kit analyzes 324 genes across four main alterations known to cause and drive cancer, boosting oncology research and treatment options.
Roche recently launched the AVENIO Tumor Tissue CGP Kit, a genomic profiling kit to allow laboratories to expand their oncology research in-house.
AVENIO Tumor Tissue CGP Kit is a next-generation sequencing test that provides end-to-end workflow from DNA extraction and library preparation to generation of variant results by the FoundationOne Analysis Platform via AVENIO Connect, a Roche spokesperson explained.
The kit uses a gene panel to analyze 324 cancer-related genes across four main genomic alterations known to cause and drive cancer. In addition, the genes provide insights into current and emerging biomarkers.
Each of the kits can run 24 samples. The entire workflow from DNA to variant results is completed in five days.
“CGP helps inform decisions about available treatment options, including targeted therapies, immunotherapies, tumour-agnostic treatments and clinical trial participation, based on the unique genomic profile of a patient’s tumour,” Thomas Schinecker, CEO of Roche, said in the announcement.
“We are bringing powerful insights from CGP to enable smarter, more efficient research and development. Our new kit provides the information researchers need and will ultimately provide insights physicians can use to develop personalised treatment strategies for individual patients,” Schinecker continued.
Cancer treatment no longer depends solely on the tissue of origin. Instead, cancer is a collection of hundreds of diseases driven in part by specific genomic characteristics.
CGP tests deliver comprehensive information in a single test. They can provide information on complex genomic signatures such as Tumour Mutational Burden (TMB), Microsatellite Instability (MSI), and Loss of Heterozygosity (LOH).
AVENIO Tumor Tissue CGP Kit is the first step in bringing CGP closer to individuals living with cancer through vital research and clinical trials in laboratories globally.
The kit will launch in regions including North America, South America, and Asia. Roche and the Foundation of Medicine also plan to develop additional solutions for its profile.
Brian Alexander, chief executive officer of the Foundation of Medicine, stated that the launch of this kit will greatly strengthen the company’s ability to act as an essential partner to researchers in navigating cancer care.
