Signal mapping

NovellusDx Ltd. is developing an assay that goes a step beyond identifying mutations and targets expressed in tumors to finger the driver mutation that is most responsible for cell growth. The results are intended to help physicians not just identify but also prioritize treatment options.

The increased availability and use of next-generation sequencing is making tumor profiling more common, but according to Michael Vidne, head of business development and algorithms, simply identifying the genes and mutations present in a tumor gives only part of the picture. For example, lung cancers harbor 12-13 mutations that could be responsible for tumor cell growth and proliferation, but tumor profiling services describe many of them as mutations of "unknown significance," Vidne told BioCentury. ...