Guardant Health, Inc. (NASDAQ:GH), a leading precision oncology company, announced today that Geisinger Health Plan now offers coverage for the Guardant Reveal™ minimal residual disease (MRD) test. Guardant Reveal is a blood test that detects circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) in blood after treatment, including surgery, to help oncologists identify cancer patients with residual or recurring disease who may benefit most from adjuvant therapy or surveillance. It is the first blood-only liquid biopsy test commercially available for MRD testing.
Geisinger is providing coverage for the Guardant Reveal test for individuals with stage II or III colorectal cancer after curative treatment (including surgery) to inform physician decisions about post-treatment therapy and to monitor for disease progression, recurrence or relapse. The frequency of testing covered is aligned with monitoring guidelines established by the National Comprehensive Cancer Network for colorectal cancer. It includes the initial ctDNA test 4 to 6 weeks after surgery (or 2 to 4 weeks after completion of systemic therapy) and thereafter every 3 to 6 months for the first two years, and every 6 to 12 months for the following 3 years.
“We are pleased that Geisinger Health Plan has taken this important step to make blood testing for residual disease more accessible to its members,” said Helmy Eltoukhy, Guardant Health chairman and co-CEO. “This decision will help oncologists make more informed decisions about treatment and monitoring for colorectal cancer patients and survivors, to help improve their outcomes.”
Minimal residual disease refers to a subclinical measure of cancer burden that remains during and following treatment. A patient’s MRD status is a reliable indicator of clinical outcome and response to therapy and can be used for risk stratification and to guide treatment options when used in conjunction with other clinical data.
The Geisinger Health Plan provides coverage for more than half a million members. This policy decision adds to the payor coverage of Guardant Reveal, which received Medicare coverage in August 2022 and additional commercial payor coverage in July 2023.
About Guardant Health
Guardant Health is a leading precision oncology company focused on helping conquer cancer globally through use of its proprietary tests, vast data sets and advanced analytics. The Guardant Health oncology platform leverages capabilities to drive commercial adoption, improve patient clinical outcomes and lower healthcare costs across all stages of the cancer care continuum. Guardant Health has commercially launched Guardant360®, Guardant360 CDx, Guardant360 TissueNext™, Guardant360 Response™, and GuardantINFINITY® tests for advanced stage cancer, and Guardant Reveal™ for early-stage cancer. The Guardant Health screening portfolio, including the commercially launched Shield™ test, aims to address the needs of individuals eligible for cancer screening. For more information, visit guardanthealth.com and follow the company on LinkedIn and X (Twitter).
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