CHICAGO, Oct. 19, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Tempus today announced the launch of its new comprehensive genomic sequencing panel, Tempus xT, which analyzes 595 genes relevant to the diagnosis, prognosis and therapeutic targeting of cancer. The panel will sequence a patient’s tumor DNA and RNA, as well as a matched normal blood or saliva to help ordering clinicians determine the targeted therapies and/or clinical trials that are most appropriate for their patients. Tempus xT will be run in the company’s state-of-the-art next-generation sequencing lab, and the performance of the test has been validated in accordance with CLIA and CAP guidelines.
“This panel sets a new standard for broad panel genomic testing, since it allows physicians to test solid tumors and hematologic malignancies in one test and uses a normal sample for reference when feasible, thus improving the accuracy of the test for patients,” said Gary Palmer, Chief Medical Officer at Tempus. “Most importantly, it utilizes clinical outcome data to inform possible treatment decisions, allowing patients to receive the best evidence-based treatment available.”
The assay detects single nucleotide variants, small insertions and deletions, copy number amplifications, and structural alterations that lead to gene fusions. The test also includes key decision drivers for immunotherapy including microsatellite instability (MSI) and tumor mutational burden (TMB), and is predictive for other important targets such as PDL-1. The results of these analyses are provided in conjunction with corresponding data from Tempus’ proprietary database of phenotypic, therapeutic, and outcomes data, which gives physicians deep insights into appropriate treatment options for their patients.
In oncology, and across healthcare more broadly, datasets have historically been small and disorganized. Tempus has spent the last two years building a series of data pipelines to collect, cleanse, and analyze data at scale. These data pipelines, in turn, power proprietary software applications designed to drive clinical decision support and cutting edge academic research.
“At Tempus, our goal is to build the world's largest database of clinical and molecular data and more effectively put that data to work,” said Eric Lefkofsky, Founder and CEO at Tempus. “This new panel is an important step in making precision oncology more accessible to physicians and the patients they treat broadly across Academic Medical Center and community practitioners.”
About Tempus:
Tempus is a technology company that is building the world’s largest library of molecular and clinical data and an operating system to make that data accessible and useful. We enable physicians to deliver personalized cancer care for patients through our interactive analytical and machine learning platform. We provide genomic sequencing services and analyze molecular and therapeutic data to empower physicians to make real-time, data-driven decisions. Our goal is for each patient to benefit from the treatment of others who came before by providing physicians with tools that learn as we gather more data. For more information, visit tempus.com and visit us on Facebook (Tempus Labs) and Twitter (@TempusLabs). For more information on Eric Lefkofsky, visit lefkofsky.com.
Clo Ewing
Director of Communications at Tempus
Clo@tempus.com