Personalis announced the addition of a Real‑Time Variant Tracker to its NeXT Personal molecular residual disease (MRD) test, a feature that allows clinicians to opt‑in for continuous reporting of circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) variants that emerge during a patient’s treatment course.
The Real‑Time Variant Tracker builds on the company’s NeXT platform, which can detect a single tumor DNA fragment in a million blood molecules—an analytical sensitivity of roughly 1‑3 parts per million. By tracking variant changes in real time, the tool aims to provide oncologists with earlier signals of recurrence or resistance, potentially improving treatment decisions and patient outcomes.
Market analysts now estimate the global MRD testing market to reach between $4.5 billion and $6.7 billion by 2030, a far more realistic figure than the previously cited $20 billion projection. The launch comes shortly after Personalis secured Medicare coverage for its NeXT Personal test for post‑treatment cancer monitoring, a key step that could broaden reimbursement and accelerate adoption.
The new capability positions Personalis to capture a larger share of the growing MRD market and strengthens its case for broader Medicare reimbursement. By demonstrating added clinical value, the Real‑Time Variant Tracker could help the company differentiate itself from competitors such as Illumina, Roche, and Natera, and support its strategy of expanding the use of ultrasensitive liquid biopsy technologies.
"Personalis pioneered the shift toward ultrasensitive MRD, and today we are once again taking another innovative step forward," said Chris Hall, CEO and President. "Real‑Time Variant Tracker marks a new milestone in our mission to enable physicians to fight cancer with a truly personalized approach."
"The ability to detect evolving, clinically relevant mutations in genes like ESR1 during MRD monitoring gives physicians a new tool to help optimize care," added Richard Chen, Chief Medical Officer and Executive Vice President of R&D.
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