Insight Genetics, Inc., has received a Phase II Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) contract from the National Cancer Institute (NCI) to continue its development of a diagnostic test that meets the significant unmet need for the diagnosis and treatment of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).
A continuation of work that Insight Genetics began with the NCI in 2012, the Fast-Track contract will advance the development of a panel of assays designed to provide a fast and accurate way to identify and characterize oncogenic ROS1, RET, and DEPDC1 in a population of NSCLC patients who are triple negative for mutations in EGFR, KRAS, or ALK. Collectively, ROS1 and RET fusions, along with DEPDC1 expression, have been estimated to constitute up to 9% of all NSCLC cases. People who carry these biomarkers are among those with the poorest prognoses.
Companion diagnostic tests such as those Insight Genetics is developing allow physicians to screen cancer patients for particular biomarkers, such as genetic mutations or dysregulation of gene expression. The results can indicate whether a targeted therapy is more likely to be effective for a patient and provide information on the most tolerable and effective dose. Such tests also can help physicians monitor the ongoing effectiveness of targeted medications and help them to determine when a new treatment might be necessary. Learn more about the suite of molecular tests that Insight Genetics is developing, with links.
