As reported on PharmaBiz, Illumina and Labcorp have announced an expanded strategic collaboration aimed at accelerating precision oncology by applying next-generation sequencing (NGS) technologies more broadly across cancer care. The partnership is designed to improve equitable access to advanced biomarker testing, generate clinical and economic evidence to support payer coverage, and develop new diagnostic tools that address persistent gaps in oncology testing.
By combining Illumina’s sequencing technologies with Labcorp’s clinical laboratory scale and oncology expertise, the companies plan to move advanced genomic testing closer to patients. A major focus of the collaboration will be distributed testing models that enable hospitals and community health systems to offer sophisticated genomic profiling locally, rather than relying on centralized reference laboratories.
The expanded agreement includes joint development of new oncology assays for both research and clinical use. These efforts span comprehensive genomic profiling (CGP) and whole-genome sequencing (WGS), with the goal of identifying actionable genetic alterations and supporting more personalized treatment strategies. The companies emphasize that these tools are intended to help close existing diagnostic gaps, particularly in cancers where current testing options are limited or underutilized.
A key element of the collaboration is the potential co-commercialization of Labcorp’s FDA-authorized liquid biopsy test, PGDx elio plasma focus Dx, alongside Illumina’s FDA-approved TruSight Oncology Comprehensive assay for solid tumors. Together, these tissue- and blood-based in vitro diagnostic kits could enable broader access to biomarker testing, helping clinicians more precisely match patients with targeted therapies and relevant clinical trials. The distributed model may also support pharmaceutical companies developing companion diagnostics for both solid tumor and liquid biopsy applications.
In parallel, Illumina and Labcorp will continue to generate real-world and clinical evidence demonstrating the value of CGP in oncology. One recent collaborative study, published in Frontiers in Oncology, analyzed more than 7,600 non–small cell lung cancer tumor samples. Using Illumina’s CGP approach, researchers identified clinically relevant genomic alterations in over 72% of cases, including variants linked to approved targeted therapies or active clinical trials.
The lung cancer study is part of a broader body of joint work between the two companies, which includes multiple peer-reviewed publications as well as numerous posters and scientific presentations presented since 2022. According to both organizations, this growing evidence base is critical to driving wider adoption of genomic testing and supporting reimbursement decisions.
Overall, the expanded collaboration reflects a shared goal of making advanced genomic insights more accessible and actionable across diverse care settings—helping to deliver more timely, personalized, and equitable cancer care.
