Guardant Health® and COTA Partner

COTA Inc. and Guardant Health have partnered to provide new insights into the barriers to obtaining genomic profiling of driver mutations among patients with non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) treated in community settings. Although new genomically-targeted therapies may have significant benefit for patients, studies have demonstrated that only two-thirds of NSCLC patients undergo appropriate EGFR molecular testing for mutations amenable to FDA approved targeted therapies.

Fewer than one-third of these patients undergo guideline-recommended comprehensive genotyping beyond EGFR and ALK testing. Through the collaboration, the companies will explore testing rates, repeat biopsies and their resulting complications, delays in result reporting, costs of invasive tissue biopsies, and other factors that preclude routine application of genotyping—which may significantly improve patient outcomes.

The Guardant360® comprehensive next generation sequencing test permits identification of all guideline-recommended somatic genomic mutations from a simple blood draw, and may obviate the need for repeat invasive tissue biopsies in advanced cancer patients. This collaboration will also include cost-benefit and outcomes analysis to define the clinical utility of a blood-based genotyping approach for treatment selection in patients with advanced NSCLC, which is of interest to both medical oncologists and managed care organizations.

Andrew Pecora M.D FACP CPE founder of COTA and inventor of the technology said, “In the era of personalized medicine, if we truly want to realize the dream of every patient receiving optimal care resulting in the best possible outcome at the best price, we must address the common, incomplete, up front diagnostic assessment of patients with cancer, including genomic profiling of their cancer.”

This collaboration utilizes COTA’s analytic expertise, proprietary technologies, and unique real-world data to evaluate current challenges in the diagnostic approach to patients with advanced NSCLC. COTA’s close relationship with provider organizations also permits iterative educational processes to improve physician practices and clinical/economic outcomes. COTA has developed a breakthrough, patented system for classifying cancer patients, the COTA Nodal Addresses (CNA), which enables a sensitive and precise detection of variance in chosen treatments, clinical outcomes and costs.

COTA has unparalleled depth in the economics of oncology, and has extensive involvement in enabling value-based reimbursement models with various payers across the country. “With the costs of cancer care rising every year, patients, health systems and payers are all demanding better care at lower costs,” said Helmy Eltoukhy, Guardant Health CEO. “New technologies should not only push the envelope in terms of clinical utility, they should also provide greater value. We’re excited about this partnership with COTA to help demonstrate this with real-world data.”