Mission Bio Awarded Grant to Measure Minimal Residual Disease Related to Cancer Relapse with Single Cell Genomics

Mission Bio, Inc., the pioneer in high-throughput single-cell DNA analysis and precision genomics, today announced that it has been awarded a grant from the National Cancer Institute (NCI) Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) program to develop more advanced methods of quantifying molecular minimal residual disease (MRD) in acute myeloid leukemia (AML). In partnership with Dr. Jerry Radich of Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, the project will leverage Mission Bio’s Tapestri Platform to enable more accurate prediction of patient outcomes and empower the development of more impactful treatments aimed at residual disease.

“Residual disease leftover after treatment is a major cause of cancer relapse or even death -- but standard detection methods lack the sensitivity and scale to make strides toward solving this challenge,” explained Charlie Silver, CEO and founder of Mission Bio. “By leveraging the Tapestri Platform for insight at the single-cell level, we can deploy a more sensitive method for characterizing molecular MRD status and make a real difference in the lives of patients.”

The Tapestri Platform is the only single-cell targeted DNA solution available to effectively detect rare cancer subclones and co-occurring cancer mutations, addressing the shortcomings of traditional methods by providing a more accurate lens into the cells that drive disease progression and subsequent relapse. 

“Relapse is the main obstacle to cure in leukemia,” explained Dr. Radich, “and the detection of MRD is a direct measure of disease burden after therapy. The Tapestri Platform promises a more accurate identification and quantification of MRD, which could both broaden our understanding of response and resistance to therapy, and pave the way for new clinical trials of specific therapies targeted at the clones that remain in the MRD state.”

The news comes on the heels of a strong push from Mission Bio to support biopharmaceutical customers -- partners like LabCorp and Onconova Therapeutics leverage the Tapestri Platform to fill their need for faster, more precise clinical trials. 

To learn more about Mission Bio and how it’s moving precision medicine forward, visit www.missionbio.com.

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Kathryn Ryan

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