The multi-year collaboration combines kitted next-generation sequencing panels with a global laboratory network to improve turnaround times and support diagnostic programs.

CellCarta and Pillar Biosciences announced a global multi-year strategic partnership to broaden access to next-generation sequencing (NGS) tumor profiling for biopharmaceutical sponsors and clinical research partners.

The partnership integrates the oncoReveal NGS-based kitted panels from Pillar Biosciences with the global clinical trial testing execution of CellCarta. The collaboration is designed to help sponsors select molecular testing suited to specific study objectives, reduce operational steps, and deliver results on timelines that support patient enrollment.

As oncology drug development becomes increasingly biomarker-driven, sponsors face pressure to enroll patients quickly while managing budgets. Trial designs are also fragmenting into smaller molecular subgroups, which increases screening volume and operational complexity. The companies aim to address these challenges by providing alternatives to broad panels that can add unnecessary time and expense when studies require a specific set of markers.

“Biomarker-driven oncology trials demand testing strategies that are both operationally efficient and aligned with long-term development goals,” says Robin Grimwood, senior vice president of genomics at CellCarta, in a release. “Through our partnership with Pillar Biosciences, we combine their streamlined, rapid workflow with our global laboratory execution and deep CDx expertise to support faster enrollment and standardized implementation across regions.”

The collaboration focuses on enabling tumor profiling with reduced hands-on complexity and faster sample-to-report execution. This approach is intended to support biomarker-driven trial designs where turnaround time and reliability directly impact screen-fail rates.

The kitted NGS panels are based on proprietary SLIMamp chemistry, which is designed to make tumor profiling more operationally accessible to laboratories globally while providing actionable insights.

“By partnering with CellCarta, we can extend that value through a trusted global laboratory network and help sponsors deploy testing strategies that match today’s realities: increasing trial complexity, tighter timelines, and more cost discipline,” says Dan Harma, chief commercial officer at Pillar Biosciences, in a release.

According to the companies, the partnership enables the use of targeted, indication-specific panels for prospective testing. It also offers the flexibility to develop custom panels aligned to sponsor programs, providing a foundation for potential companion diagnostic alignment as clinical assets advance.

ID 209213911 © Nadeshda Goettmann |

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