The test monitors circulating tumor DNA without requiring tumor tissue profiling, with clinical study findings showing detection of disease progression a median of 7.4 months before imaging.
Medicover Genetics announced the launch of OncoSentia MRD, a plasma-based assay designed for longitudinal minimal residual disease (MRD) monitoring in patients with unresectable non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), debuting at ESMO 2026 in Madrid.
The test will be offered as a centralized laboratory service through Medicover Genetics’ CAP-accredited, CLIA-certified laboratories, serving healthcare providers across European markets. The clinical focus centers on patients with unresectable Stage II or III NSCLC following definitive treatment, including during consolidation therapy and post-treatment surveillance.
“Our focus is on translating molecular innovation into solutions that can be integrated into clinical practice and support clinicians across the patient pathway,” says Dr Mike Whalley, global managing director at Medicover Genetics, in a release. “OncoSentia MRD expands our precision oncology capabilities into longitudinal disease monitoring, with unresectable NSCLC as our initial clinical focus. We plan to continue evaluating the approach across additional cancer indications as part of our ongoing oncology R&D program.”
Tumor-Agnostic, Plasma-Informed Workflow
Unlike conventional MRD assays that require baseline tumor-tissue sequencing to identify patient-specific variants, OncoSentia MRD uses a tumor-agnostic, plasma-informed workflow to analyze circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) without requiring prior tumor-tissue profiling. Molecular signals identified directly in plasma inform patient-specific ctDNA detection.
At ESMO 2026, Medicover Genetics will also showcase its wider precision oncology portfolio, which includes hereditary cancer testing, tumor molecular profiling, liquid biopsy for therapy selection, and longitudinal disease monitoring.
Clinical Validation From the DART Study
Clinical validation for the assay is derived from the prospective, multicenter DART study evaluating patients with unresectable stage III NSCLC who received chemoradiotherapy followed by durvalumab. The published analysis, appearing in the Journal of Thoracic Oncology, evaluated 659 plasma samples collected from 84 patients across multiple treatment and surveillance intervals.
According to the study findings, ctDNA detected during consolidation treatment and post-treatment surveillance demonstrated a significant association with poorer progression-free survival. In a multivariable, time-dependent analysis of post-chemoradiotherapy samples, detectable ctDNA correlated with a nearly threefold increase in risk of progression (HR 2.95; 95% CI 1.69–5.15).
The study also demonstrated increased risk at specific clinical checkpoints:
- ctDNA positivity midway through consolidation therapy was associated with a 2.45-fold higher risk of progression (HR 2.45; 95% CI 1.18–5.11).
- Patients testing positive 3 months post-consolidation demonstrated a 5.37-fold higher risk of progression (HR 5.37; 95% CI 1.93–14.93).
Crucially for longitudinal surveillance, among patients who progressed and had detectable ctDNA, molecular detection preceded radiological or clinical progression by a median lead time of 7.4 months.
Investigators from Oslo University Hospital will present additional data and findings from the DART study at ESMO 2026.
