Bayer and Veracyte have entered a collaboration to advance the Precision Oncology Patient Identification Program in thyroid cancer.
Through the program, Bayer will offer testing with Veracyte’s Afirma Xpression Atlas to identify underlying genomic drivers, including NTRK gene fusions, within patients’ tumors. The program will focus on patients with advanced or metastatic thyroid cancer that is radioactive iodine refractory who may potentially benefit from biomarker-driven therapies.
“Patients whose thyroid cancer contains actionable alterations and no longer responds to traditional radioactive iodine therapy now have targeted treatment options available to them. Our goal is to identify such patients so physicians can make more informed treatment decisions for their patients,” Bhavesh Ashar, senior vice president and head of U.S. Oncology at Bayer, said in a statement. “With its comprehensive ability to identify broad genomic alterations through its Afirma XA test and its widespread reach among physicians who diagnose thyroid cancer, Veracyte is an ideal collaborator for this program.”
The Afirma XA uses RNA whole-transcriptome sequencing to identify 905 DNA variants and 235 RNA fusions in 593 genes, including novel NTRK fusions, on fine needle aspirates taken from thyroid nodules or lymph nodes.
Through this collaboration, Bayer will provide Afirma XA testing at no cost to all eligible patients when ordered by the physician, regardless of the final results and treatment decision. Additionally, physicians of patients found to harbor NTRK gene fusions as an underlying driver in their thyroid cancer will be alerted of the results. The companies anticipate the program to launch in the first quarter of next year.
