Invitae, a medical genetics company, announced that its personalized cancer monitoring assay (PCM), which helps detect minimal residual disease (MRD) in patients, has obtained its first commercial coverage in all solid tumors by Blue Shield of California.
The policy, effective as of March 1, 2023, considers the test medically necessary for patients with stage I-IV cancer after surgical intervention for adjuvant or targeted therapy and/or monitoring for relapse or progression.
Invitae’s personalized cancer monitoring assay uses a novel set of personalized assays based on a patient’s tumor to detect circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) in blood, assisting with risk stratification, assessing response to treatment and detecting cancer recurrence.
“We are very pleased with this coverage decision because it recognizes the utility of PCM in detecting MRD, thereby improving the clinical care of cancer patients,” says Robert Nussbaum, MD, chief medical officer at Invitae. “We are continuing to generate additional clinical evidence as well as securing other reimbursement pathways. Overall, we are encouraged to see increasing access to MRD testing and view the coverage decision as a great step forward for patients.”
The company says personalized cancer monitoring could be applied in a variety of ways to help improve patient care and prolong survival outcomes.
Photo: Invitae
