Contextual Genomics 'Find It' and 'Follow It' Assays

Contextual Genomics, a Vancouver, Canada-based cancer genomics company, said that it has completed development of two new products: an improved version of its Find It hotspot panel for detection of genomic mutations in solid tumour cancers; and its Follow It hotspot panel for detection of the same genomic mutations in blood plasma.

The Find It panel now screens for 146 somatic genome alterations found in solid tumor cancers to identify optimal therapeutic treatments and recognize acquired drug resistance mutations. The assay is supported by Contextual's cloud-based genome analysis engine (CGIRP).

The Follow It panel screens for cell-free circulating tumour DNA in plasma, and is designed to  be used in patients with widespread metastatic disease at diagnosis and as a time series monitoring tool to read out tumor burden and treatment resistance. Follow It will screen for all of the same somatic genome alterations as Find It and can be used to follow disease progression for patients, including those whose tumors were initially tested with Find It.