BEIJING, April 08, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Genetron Holdings Limited (“Genetron Health” or the “Company”, Nasdaq: GTH), a leading precision oncology platform company in China that specializes in offering molecular profiling tests, early cancer screening products and companion diagnostics development, today announced the release of 17 research results at the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2022 (AACR 2022).
The results emerged from joint studies that Genetron Health conducted with more than 20 leading hospitals in China, which leveraged the Company’s “One-step Seq” patented technology, core products such as the multi-gene NGS panel testing – Onco PanScan™ and the comprehensive sarcoma gene testing – Onco PanScan plus™. These studies involved an in-depth analysis of the Chinese population, covering lung cancer, gastric cancer, colon cancer, bladder cancer, glioma, sarcoma, and other types of cancer. More specifically, the studies focused on characteristics of each cancer, including mutation, fusion characteristics, hereditary tumor biomarkers, immunotherapy-associated biomarker screening, and molecular detection guidance of clinical typing, diagnosis and treatment, contributing to the scientific research and full-cycle clinical management of cancer.
“These results presented by Genetron Health at AACR 2022, which are all based on the Company’s innovative technologies and products, explore the characteristics of multi-cancer genomics, and the clinical application of products,” said Dr. Yunfu Hu, Genetron Health’s Chief Medical Officer. “For example, by using Onco PanScan plus™ integrated DNA and RNA, we studied the genetic variation in sarcomas of children and adults. It revealed the genetic variation and HRR gene mutations in sarcomas, which provided evidence for the potential use of PARP inhibitors in sarcoma patients. Adopting the Company’s Onco Urine™ test, in the study of patients with muscle-invasive bladder cancer (MIBC) neoadjuvant immunotherapy, we found urine genetic detection has the potential to assess the pathological response of patients. With Onco PanScan™, we conducted a study into POLE/POLD1, MMR, MSI, TMB which are related to immunotherapy and found that ACVR2ALOF was associated with MSI variation in gastric and colorectal cancers.”
“In the future, Genetron Health’s products and technologies will continue to contribute to the early diagnosis and clinical treatment of cancer patients,” Hu added.
All 17 studies shared by Genetron Health at the AACR 2022 focused mainly four areas, as following:
Gene mutation and fusion mapping research help clinical classification and personalized treatment
Five studies (#5756, #5755, #5746, #5575, #5771) were based on retrospective Next-Generation Sequencing (NGS) results. By conducting gene mutation and fusion mapping in children and adults of the sarcoma genome, sarcoma HRR gene, glioma fusion, solid tumor BRAF and RAF1 fusions, and lung cancer RTK fusions, the studies aimed to explore the molecular characteristics related to cancer, thereby providing diagnosis and guidance of tumor classification and personalized treatment.
Molecular detection guides clinical diagnosis and treatment
Glioblastoma (GBM) is the most common malignant brain tumor. Patients with GBM normally have a poor prognosis and a high risk of recurrence. Study #5264 reported the rare case of a patient with GBM that recurred two years after surgical resection and was diagnosed with low-grade astrocytoma based on histopathological features. However, the molecular characteristics indicated that the recurrent tumor should be diagnosed as a high-grade GBM, thus demonstrating the clinical importance of combining histopathological features with molecular features for diagnosis.
Radical cystectomy (RC) is the standard treatment for muscle-invasive bladder cancer (MIBC), but it greatly affects the patient’s quality of life, even if a urinary tract diversion is made. Study #5101 reported the case of an MIBC patient who received RC treatment with urine-based dynamic monitoring during the period of neoadjuvant immunotherapy, and the result indicated that dynamic monitoring could reflect complete pathological remission. The findings will help the selection of patients for bladder preservation treatment and personalized care.
HER2 antibody trastuzumab combined with chemotherapy is the frontline treatment option for patients with HER2-positive breast or gastric cancer. This option recently showed antitumor activity in patients with HER2-positive gallbladder cancer (GBC). However, there is currently no effective way to deal with the drug resistance to targeted therapy of HER2-positive GBC. Study #5517 reported a patient with HER2-positive metastatic GBC who was refractory to trastuzumab combined with chemotherapy, but had significant clinical benefits with the additional use of the PD-1 antibody camrelizumab. The results showed the significance of the combination of immunotherapy and HER2-targeted therapy in the treatment of HER2-positive GBC.
Hereditary tumor biomarkers guide early screening and diagnosis of diseases
Four studies (#5840, #5875, #5777, #5778) explored pathogenic germline mutations in gliomas, sarcomas, and gastric cancers including HRR and MMR core genes and other key susceptibilities to hereditary genes, providing instructional guidance to early disease diagnosis, genetic counseling and treatment.
Immunotherapy marker screening plus immunotherapy population screening
Five studies (#5292, #5774, #5751, #5197, #5752) discussed the correlation of BRAF, POLE/POLD1, clock genes, and ACVR2ALOF with MMR, TMB, etc., which could be used as potential biomarkers for immunotherapy.
| Abstract# | Title |
| 5264 | Glioblastoma degraded to low-grade astrocytoma two-years after surgical resection: A rare case report |
| 5292 | Investigating the Potential Relationship between BRAF Mutations and Tumor Mutation Burden (TMB) in Lung Cancer (LC) |
| 5774 | Investigating the characteristics of BRAF mutations and its potential relationship with therapy in a large Chinese Lung Cancer cohort |
| 5746 | Analysis of molecular characteristics of gliomas harboring gene fusions |
| 5751 | Comprehensive analysis of POLE/POLD1 variants, MMR deficient/MSI, and tumor mutational burden in Chinese population |
| 5752 | Loss-of-function mutations in ACVR2A are correlated with microsatellite instability in gastric and colorectal cancer |
| 5755 | Mutation profiling of homologous recombination-related (HRR) genes in Chinese sarcoma patients |
| 5840 | The characteristics of TP53 germline mutations analyzed in a large-scale cohort of Chinese glioma patients |
| 5756 | Next-Generation Sequencing (NGS) reveals differences in molecular profiles of pediatric sarcoma in children and adults |
| 5575 | Landscape of BRAF and RAF1 fusions identified by next‑generation sequencing in a Chinese multi-cancer retrospective analysis |
| 5875 | Germline gene alterations in high grade and low grade gliomas: A multi-center, large scale study in China |
| 5517 | Addition of PD-1 antibody camrelizumab overcame resistance to trastuzumab plus chemotherapy in a HER2-positive, metastatic gallbladder cancer patient |
| 5778 | Early-onset of double germline mutations in homologous recombination deficiency (HRD)-mutated gastric cancer |
| 5777 | Germline variants of cancer predisposition genes in a large cohort of Chinese sarcoma patients |
| 5101 | Urine based dynamically monitoring reflect pathologic response in MIBC patients with neoadjuvant immunotherapy |
| 5771 | The refined stratification of receptor tyrosine kinase fusions in lung cancer |
| 5197 | Alterations of the circadian clock genes and their association with tumor mutation burden and response to immunotherapy in NSCLC |
About Genetron Holdings Limited
Genetron Holdings Limited (“Genetron Health” or the “Company”) (Nasdaq: GTH) is a leading precision oncology platform company in China that specializes in cancer molecular profiling and harnesses advanced technologies in molecular biology and data science to transform cancer treatment. The Company has developed a comprehensive oncology portfolio that covers the entire spectrum of cancer management, addressing needs and challenges from early screening, diagnosis and treatment recommendations, as well as continuous disease monitoring and care. Genetron Health also partners with global biopharmaceutical companies and offers customized services and products. For more information, please visit ir.genetronhealth.com.
Safe Harbor Statement
This press release contains forward-looking statements. These statements are made under the “safe harbor” provisions of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Statements that are not historical facts, including statements about the Company’s beliefs and expectations, are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements involve inherent risks and uncertainties, and a number of factors could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in any forward-looking statement. In some cases, forward-looking statements can be identified by words or phrases such as “may”, “will,” “expect,” “anticipate,” “target,” “aim,” “estimate,” “intend,” “plan,” “believe,” “potential,” “continue,” “is/are likely to” or other similar expressions. Further information regarding these and other risks, uncertainties or factors is included in the Company’s filings with the SEC. All information provided in this press release is as of the date of this press release, and the Company does not undertake any duty to update such information, except as required under applicable law.
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