#United States #Natick #Pillar Biosciences #oncoReveal #FLT3-ITD

Pillar Biosciences Launches oncoReveal® Myeloid v2 Panel

Pillar Biosciences has recently made waves in the realm of myeloid malignancies with the release of its new oncoReveal® Myeloid v2 Panel. This advanced DNA next-generation sequencing (NGS) tool now encompasses 80 gene targets, an increase from the previous 58, and includes significant enhancements for the detection of FLT3 internal tandem duplications (ITDs).

Major Expansion and Advanced Detection

The latest iteration of the oncoReveal Myeloid Panel marks a substantial expansion in genetic coverage, designed specifically for research purposes. By integrating 22 additional genes while maintaining the efficacy of the original content, Pillar Biosciences aims to offer laboratories improved guideline-relevant coverage without the need for extensive changes in their workflows. Impressively, only four of the original amplicons in the 766 have been modified to accommodate the new design, showcasing Pillar's proprietary SLIMamp® chemistry and VersaTile™ primer design tool.

Senior Director of Product Management at Pillar, ShiPing Zou, expressed confidence in the new panel, stating, "With oncoReveal Myeloid v2, we significantly expanded our myeloid gene content while preserving the trusted panel content laboratories already rely on." A significant focus of this update was to enhance the detection capabilities for FLT3-ITDs, which have been challenging in the past.

Understanding FLT3-ITDs

FLT3-ITDs are a variant seen in approximately 20-30% of de novo Acute Myeloid Leukemia (AML) cases and are associated with poor overall prognosis, making their accurate detection crucial for proper profiling of hematologic malignancies. These duplications can range from a few base pairs to over 400 bp, and their repetitive sequences often cause difficulties during the short-read NGS process. Traditionally, labs have relied on capillary electrophoresis (CE) fragment analysis to ascertain FLT3-ITD status, adding complexity to the testing workflow.

Successful Detection of Long and Multiple ITDs

Through an independent evaluation of 111 myeloid and Myeloproliferative Neoplasm (MPN) samples, which included 23 FLT3-ITD-positive samples, the oncoReveal Myeloid v2 Panel effectively detected and sized ITDs ranging from 12 bp to 279 bp using standard 2 x 150 sequencing. This performance included the capability to detect up to 279 bp long ITDs and identified samples with multiple concurrent ITDs.

This ability to assess long and multiple ITDs in a single NGS run holds significant implications for clonal population identification, which can otherwise be obscured by conventional CE-based analysis. The variant allele frequencies (VAFs) generated through NGS corresponded well with the allelic ratios from CE-based fragment analysis, reinforcing confidence in the new detection approach.

The oncoReveal Myeloid v2 Panel's sensitivity was further demonstrated by its capability to detect FLT3-ITDs with VAFs down to 1%, offering researchers a streamlined, single-workflow alternative to conventional methodologies.

About Pillar Biosciences

Pillar Biosciences stands as a global leader in providing NGS kitted solutions aimed at delivering high analytical performance coupled with operational efficiency in the field of cancer testing. With a commitment to empowering localized testing, the company's proprietary SLIMamp® and PiVAT® technologies enable access to complex molecular diagnostics on a worldwide scale. For further information, visit pillarbiosci.com and connect with them on LinkedIn.

As the field of molecular diagnostics continues to evolve, the launch of the oncoReveal Myeloid v2 Panel represents a significant milestone in the detection of myeloid malignancies, showcasing Pillar Biosciences' dedication to innovative healthcare solutions.