Freenome demonstrates potential for patient stratification and monitoring using its multiomics platform at the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) 2021 Annual Meeting
SOUTH SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. — April 10, 2021 — Freenome, a privately held biotechnology company that has pioneered a comprehensive multiomics platform for early cancer detection using a routine blood draw, today announced results of an analysis revealing the potential to use its platform for patient stratification and monitoring. Plasma samples from patients with kidney (n=21), melanoma (n=14) or non-small cell lung cancer (n=91) revealed signatures of immune checkpoint inhibition treatment response found to be common across all three cancer types. Whole-genome cell-free DNA (cfDNA) sequencing identified 13 transcription factors and 269 genes that reveal a potential pathway of treatment resistance and a possible epithelial mesenchymal transition signature in responders. A subsequent longitudinal analysis on a subset of lung cancer patients also identified markers for treatment response.
“These results show the promise of our multiomics platform, which combines signatures from both tumor- and non-tumor-derived sources,” commented Mike Nolan, Chief Business Officer of Freenome. “A blood-based test that can predict and monitor treatment response would help address the clear need for improved biomarkers for cancer patients undergoing immune checkpoint inhibitor treatment, where responses are highly variable.”
“This work further demonstrates the many applications of our multiomics platform, and highlights our commitment to understanding the full potential of cfDNA,” commented C. Jimmy Lin, M.D., Ph.D., M.H.S., Chief Scientific Officer at Freenome. “Inferring nucleosome positioning through cfDNA is yet another way we can provide more insight to answer research questions and, ultimately, apply this to clinical questions that are integral to patient care.”
Data were presented in a poster presentation at the 2021 American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) Annual Meeting. The poster is available for download here.