June 27, 2022 -- Illumina codeveloped a research test with Merck that assesses a new genomic signature with its TruSight Oncology 500 assay. Available globally except in the U.S. and Japan, the assay allows researchers to identify genetic mutations used in the evaluation of homologous recombination deficiency (HRD).
HRD status is a biomarker in tumors with high levels of DNA damage, such as ovarian, breast, prostate, and pancreatic cancers. It describes when cells are unable to effectively repair double-stranded DNA breaks and may lead to genomic instability and, eventually, tumor formation.
The research use only TruSight Oncology 500 HRD test is a next-generation sequencing (NGS)-based assay that combines Illumina's NGS technology with Myriad Genetics's HRD technology to detect genomic instability and analyze more than 500 genes simultaneously.
The research test is expected to ship globally (excluding the U.S. and Japan) in August.