Forest Ray
Verified- Science Writer, BioNews Services
- Science Writer, Multiple Sclerosis News Today
- Freelance Journalist, zoho.com
Long Beach, Los Angeles
Articles by Forest Ray
Natera Names New CEO, Outlines Plans to Double Revenue in Three Years as Q3 Revenue Soars
NEW YORK – Natera said on Thursday that Solomon Moshkevich, formerly president of clinical diagnostics at the company, has replaced Steve Chapman as CEO.
Veracyte Stock Plummets as Firm Lowers Annual Decipher Prostate Test Expectations
NEW YORK – Veracyte’s shares fell more than 50 percent to $23.81 in early Thursday trading on the Nasdaq after the company lowered its annual volume growth projection for its top-selling test, the Decipher Prostate genomic classifier.
Sophia Genetics Sees Global Markets Lift Revenue 25 Percent in Q3
NEW YORK – Sophia Genetics on Tuesday morning reported a 25 percent year-over-year rise in third-quarter revenue, driven by strong growth across global markets.
CareDx Raises Guidance on Strong Q3 Test Volume Growth, Revenue Per Test
NEW YORK – CareDx reported after the close of market Thursday a 39 percent year-over-year increase in its third quarter revenues prompting the firm to raise its full-year 2026 revenue guidance.
Trick or Treatment: Researchers Change Allele Identities in Effort to Reduce Alzheimer’s Risk
NEW YORK – Despite Alzheimer’s disease having no definitive genetic cause, gene therapies are under development to protect people from it by altering certain genetic risk alleles.
Freenome, Roche Blood Protein Tests Fail to Improve Lung Cancer CT Screening Accuracy
NEW YORK – Two protein-based liquid biopsy assays failed to meaningfully increase lung cancer diagnostic yields in a national screening program in England, according to data presented Sunday at the European Society for Medical Oncology Congress.
Prototype Assay Targets Early Stage Lung Cancer Detection With Circulating Biomarker Data at ESMO
NEW YORK – Using machine learning to combine cell-free DNA (cfDNA) fragmentome and protein biomarkers from both tumors and normal patient tissue, a prototype assay from Delfi Diagnostics detected lung cancer from blood samples with high sensitivity, including at early disease stages, according to data presented Sunday at the European Society for Medical Oncology Congress.
Veracyte’s Decipher May Guide Therapy Intensification But More Study Needed on Predictive Capability
NEW YORK – Veracyte’s Decipher genomic classifier test distinguished which prostate cancer patients were most likely to benefit from treatment intensification versus de-escalation across real-world and clinical trial datasets but its treatment predictive capabilities remain uncertain.
M42, Inocras Launch Breast Cancer Recurrence Early Detection Pilot Study in UAE
NEW YORK – Life sciences firm M42 has inked a collaboration deal with genetic analysis firm Inocras to study breast cancer recurrence monitoring in the United Arab Emirates, using Inocras’ panel-free, whole-genome MRDVision minimal residual disease (MRD) detection assay.
PerturbAI Advances Drug-Target Discovery Business, Eyes Whole-Body Virtual Models
NEW YORK â As Bay Area drug-discovery firm PerturbAI progresses on its virtual cell capabilities, the company has its sights set on creating whole-body virtual models.
Australian Depression Genetics Study Yields Evidence for Circadian Subtype
NEW YORK â Genetic and clinical evidence for a proposed circadian subtype of major depressive disorder (MDD) offers insight into why some people may be more resistant to treatment by common serotonin-based antidepressants but more responsive to therapies targeting brain circuits related to the bodyâs sleep-wake cycle.
Eli Lilly-Funded Study Aims to Boost Lipoprotein(a) Testing to Assess Cardiovascular Disease Risk
NEW YORK â Researchers from the University of California, San Diego and UC Irvine are preparing to launch a study, funded by Eli Lilly, aimed at increasing testing for Lp(a) (lipoprotein A) in an effort to identify signs of heart disease risk earlier, thereby granting physicians and patients more time to take preventive measures.
Decipher Prostate Test Predicts Treatment Benefit in Retrospective Study
NEW YORK â Veracyteâs Decipher Prostate Genomic Classifier predicted which men with intermediate-risk prostate cancer, as defined by Gleeson score, would experience better outcomes through the addition of short-term androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) to dose-escalated radiation in the randomized Phase III NRG/RTOG 0815 clinical trial.
ACS Issues Recommendations for Design, Reporting of MCED Trials
NEW YORK â With multicancer early detection (MCED) tests undergoing rapid development, an expert panel convened by the American Cancer Society recently issued several recommendations for designing, conducting, analyzing, and reporting clinical trials using these tests , including consideration of cancer-type specific definitions of late-stage incidence and means of ensuring comparability of staging intensity across trial arms.
New Method Shows Potential for Advancing Personalized Immunotherapy Without Invasive Tumor Biopsies
NEW YORK â A new method described in Cancer Discovery may allow researchers to identify neoantigens and reactive T cells directly from blood samples through combined circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) exome sequencing and phenotypic T-cell selection.
As AI Transforms Scientific Landscape, Questions of Liability, Equity, Job Security Emerge
NEW YORK â With artificial intelligence systems evolving and transforming at lightning speed, researchers increasingly have come to refer to them as co-scientists, implying that these are seen more as independent collaborators than as mere tools.
Gene Therapy for Hearing Loss Leads Experts to Suggest New Screening Approach
NEW YORK â With a viable genetic therapy for OTOF-related hearing loss on the market, some experts are calling for changes to recommendations on newborn hearing screening.
Claude AI Identifies New Reverse Transcriptase System in Phages
NEW YORK â Researchers at Anthropicâs newly-established California wetlab said this week that their companyâs Claude artificial intelligence model helped discover a previously unknown enzyme system featuring a reverse transcriptase (RT), a partner gene, and repeating DNA elements reminiscent of those found in CRISPR.
Interest in Multi-Cancer Early Detection Grows Despite Utility, Consumer Understanding Questions
NEW YORK – Telehealth company Hims & Hers earlier this year made Grail's Galleri multicancer early detection (MCED) test available to some 2.5 million potential consumers, arguably giving that test the broadest reach of any available MCED assay. Hims & Hers quickly hyped the name recognition of the test even further via a $16 million ad spot at the 2026 Super Bowl, an event that was viewed by an estimated 125.6 million people.
Consumer Interest in MCED Tests Grows Despite Questions Around Utility, Patient Education
NEW YORK – Telehealth company Hims & Hers earlier this year made Grail's Galleri multicancer early detection (MCED) test available to some 2.5 million potential consumers, arguably giving that test the broadest reach of any available MCED assay. Hims & Hers quickly hyped the name recognition of the test even further via a $16 million ad spot at the 2026 Super Bowl, an event that was viewed by an estimated 125.6 million people.
Anthropic's Claude AI Platform Designs Effective Binders in Test of Protein Design Capability
NEW YORK – Independent evaluations by Twist Bioscience and Adaptyv Bio determined that Anthropic's Claude artificial intelligence platform successfully designed protein binders against target proteins at success rates comparable to or better than current typical protein design campaigns.
Craif to Use $33M Financing to Support US Clinical Trial for Urine-Based Pancreatic Cancer Test
NEW YORK – Hot on the heels of a $33 million Series D financing round, Nagoya University spinout Craif is scaling up its San Diego lab in preparation for a clinical trial of its urine-based pancreatic cancer assay.
IDT Sees CRISPR Off-Target Nomination Method Driving Growth of Gene Editing Business
NEW YORK – By streamlining the jump from high-throughput discovery to targeted confirmation, Danaher subsidiary Integrated DNA Technologies' latest off-target site nomination method aims to enable researchers to better prioritize biologically relevant sites for confirmation and further evaluation.
Caris Life Sciences Raises Full-Year Guidance as Q2 Revenue Rises 45 Percent on Molecular Profiling
NEW YORK – Caris Life Sciences reported after the close of market Wednesday a year-over-year revenue gain of 45 percent for the second quarter of 2026, driven by a 55 percent year-over-year rise in molecular profiling services.
Sophia Genetics Inks CDx Collaboration With AstraZeneca as Q2 Revenue Jumps 27 Percent
NEW YORK – Strong growth of US-based customers and liquid biopsy sales drove a 27 percent year-over-year revenue increase for Sophia Genetics in the second quarter, the Swiss-American company said on Tuesday. Additionally, Sophia said it has entered into a collaboration with AstraZeneca to develop, validate, and commercialize two companion diagnostics, one each in solid and in hematological cancers.
Sophia Genetics Inks CDx Collaboration With AstraZeneca as Q2 Revenue Jumps 27 Percent
NEW YORK – Strong growth of US-based customers and liquid biopsy sales drove a 27 percent year-over-year revenue increase for Sophia Genetics in the second quarter, the Swiss-American company said on Tuesday.
Growth in Oncology Testing With Long-Term Potential Drives Tempus AI Q2 Revenue Boost
NEW YORK – Tempus AI saw growth in its oncology business provide significant lift to second quarter revenues and expects growth to continue for at least the next few years, the firm said on Thursday. Meanwhile, its oncology testing products have been gaining regulatory approval and its minimal residual disease business is benefitting from the firm's recent deal to acquire Personalis.
Personalized ASOs Reduce Seizures in Rare Epileptic Disorder, Enable One Patient to Walk Independently Original
NEW YORK – A University of California, San Diego-led team has developed personalized antisense oligonucleotides (ASOs) to treat two patients with rare SCN2A-related developmental and epileptic encephalopathies, reducing the frequency of their seizures and enabling one patient to walk independently. The UCSD-led team designed individualized ASOs for two boys, each of whom inherited a disease-associated variant in the SCN2A gene, as they reported in Nature Medicine Tuesday.
One Year After IPO, Caris Life Sciences Charts Future on Potential of MCED, MRD Test Portfolio
NEW YORK – One year on since Caris Life Sciences went public, the company has launched several new products, including a multi-cancer early detection assay, obtained a series of regulatory approvals, and advanced its artificial intelligence capabilities, all while weathering gyrations in its stock price. And despite some bumps along the way, Caris President David Spetzler said that the firm remains on target with its cancer testing portfolio and is upbeat about its path moving forward.
One Year After IPO, Caris Life Sciences Charts Future on Potential of MCED, MRD Test Portfolio
NEW YORK – One year on since Caris Life Sciences went public, the company has launched several new products, including a multi-cancer early detection assay, obtained a series of regulatory approvals, and advanced its artificial intelligence capabilities, all while weathering gyrations in its stock price.
Biomni AI Agent Promises to Speed up Biomedical Research, Serve as 'Expert Collaborator'
NEW YORK – A team led by researchers at Stanford University and Stanford spinout Phylo has launched an artificial intelligence (AI)-based agent designed to function as a semi-autonomous biomedical research assistant that can execute tasks and build new workflows without explicit training examples.
Endogene.bio Aims to Shorten Diagnostic Journey, Improve Therapies For Endometriosis
NEW YORK – Women's health startup Endogene.bio is banking on epigenetic biomarkers found in menstrual blood-derived stem cells (MenSCs) for ways to better diagnose endometriosis, predict drug response, and monitor disease progression. The Paris-based company, which was founded in 2022, is developing an end-to-end process for non-invasively acquiring, processing, and analyzing menstrual tissue samples.
Natera Nabs Japanese Approval for Colorectal Cancer MRD Blood Test, Sets Sights on Other Indications
This article was updated from a previous version to include comments from John Fesko. NEW YORK – Natera said on Wednesday that its Signatera liquid biopsy molecular residual disease (MRD) assay has received regulatory approval from Japan’s Pharmaceuticals and Medical Devices Agency (PMDA) for use in colorectal cancer patients in the neoadjuvant setting.
10x Genomics, Cleveland Clinic Seek Spatial Biomarkers of Treatment Response in Bladder Cancer
NEW YORK – 10x Genomics continues to advance its single-cell and spatial gene expression technologies to the clinic via a collaboration with Cleveland Clinic to identify biomarkers predictive of response to antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs) among patients with bladder cancers.
ACMG Updates Guidance on Reporting VUS, Repeat Expansions
NEW YORK – The American College of Medical Genetics and Genomics (ACMG) has published new recommendations for improving how variants of unknown significance (VUS) are reported in light of the ACMG's new variant subclassification system. The organization also published new guidance to facilitate a better understanding of testing repeat expansions via next-generation sequencing. The recommendations appear in two Points to Consider statements, both published last week in Genetics in Medicine.
Sophia Genetics, MSK Partner for Precision Medicine Hub
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Veracyte Launches Prosigna LDT in US Following Clinical Trial Data Report at ASCO
NEW YORK – Cancer diagnostics company Veracyte has launched its Prosigna Breast Risk of Recurrence assay in the US, following clinical trial data showing the test could safely guide adjuvant therapy decisions for patients with ER-positive HER2-negative breast cancer.
Veracyte Launches Prosigna LDT in US Following Clinical Trial Data Report at ASCO
NEW YORK – Cancer diagnostics company Veracyte has launched its Prosigna Breast Risk of Recurrence assay in the US, following clinical trial data showing the test could safely guide adjuvant therapy decisions for patients with ER-positive HER2-negative breast cancer.
Veracyte Launches Prosigna Breast Cancer LDT in US Following ASCO Clinical Trial Data Report
NEW YORK – Cancer diagnostics company Veracyte has launched its Prosigna Breast Risk of Recurrence assay in the US, following clinical trial data showing the test could safely guide adjuvant therapy decisions for patients with ER-positive HER2-negative breast cancer.
Spatial Transcriptomics Method Predicts Docetaxel Response in Prostate Cancer Patients
NEW YORK – A spatial gene-expression–based biomarker based on standard H&E pathology slides predicted which patients with metastatic hormone-sensitive prostate cancer were most likely to benefit from adding docetaxel to androgen deprivation therapy (ADT).
Spatial Transcriptomics Method Predicts Docetaxel Response in Prostate Cancer Patients
NEW YORK – A spatial gene-expression–based biomarker based on standard H&E pathology slides predicted which patients with metastatic hormone-sensitive prostate cancer were most likely to benefit from adding docetaxel to androgen deprivation therapy (ADT).
Testicular Cancer MicroRNA Relapse Marker Performs Well in Study but Clinical Utility Unclear
NEW YORK – MicroRNA-371a-3p (miR371) has demonstrated high specificity and negative predictive value in predicting the relapse of active germ cell malignancy in patients with early-stage testicular cancer but its clinical utility as a relapse biomarker remains unclear.
In SWOG Study, MicroRNA 371a-3p Predicts Testicular Cancer But its Clinical Utility Is Unclear
NEW YORK – MicroRNA-371a-3p (miR371) demonstrated high specificity and negative predictive value in predicting the relapse of active germ cell malignancy in patients with early-stage testicular cancer. However, the clinical utility of miR371 as a relapse biomarker remains unclear.
Verici Dx Validates Pre-Transplant Test for Acute Kidney Rejection Risk
NEW YORK – Organ transplant diagnostics company Verici Dx has identified a 29-gene RNA expression immune signature that is predictive of a kidney recipient's risk of rejection, even before the organ has been transplanted and independent of donor characteristics and clinical risk factors.
DNA End Motif Sequences Predictive of Immunotherapy Response in Head-and-Neck Cancer
NEW YORK – A machine learning-based metric for quantifying the diversity of cell-free DNA end motifs –– short sequences found at either end of a DNA fragment –– predicted immunotherapy response in people with head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) in a clinical study. In addition, the metric, called the regional motif diversity score (rMDS), uncovered a novel potential link between telomere biology and cfDNA fragmentation.
Delfi Diagnostics Gives 'First Look' at Clinical Utility of cfDNA Assay in Lung Cancer Screening
NEW YORK – Access to Delfi Diagnostics' cell-free DNA (cfDNA)-based FirstLook Lung liquid biopsy assay raised lung cancer screening rates roughly threefold in a study presented this week at the annual American Thoracic Society International Conference in Orlando. Delfi estimates that even a modest rise in lung cancer screening rates translates to thousands of deaths prevented.
LiquidCell Dx Developing Tumor Microenvironment Liquid Biopsy to Predict ICI Therapy Response
NEW YORK – Precision diagnostics company LiquidCell Dx has identified cellular ecosystems characteristic of distinct types of tumor microenvironments (TME) that can be assayed via liquid biopsy to predict whether or not certain individuals will respond to immune checkpoint inhibition. Based on these findings, the San Carlos, California-based startup is developing a cell-free DNA (cfDNA)-based methylation profiling assay called LiquidTME.
LiquidCell Dx Developing Tumor Microenvironment Liquid Biopsy to Predict ICI Therapy Response
NEW YORK – Precision diagnostics company LiquidCell Dx has identified cellular ecosystems characteristic of distinct types of tumor microenvironments (TME) that can be assayed via liquid biopsy to predict whether or not certain individuals will respond to immune checkpoint inhibition.
Advocates aim to foster connections this Vasculitis Awareness Month
May is Vasculitis Awareness Month, and advocates are gearing up to raise awareness, foster connection within the community, and raise funds to fuel research into ANCA-associated vasculitis (AAV) and other disorders that are marked by blood vessel inflammation. This year’s awareness month coincides with the 40th anniversary of the Vasculitis Foundation, an advocacy group that was founded in 1986 by a nurse who was diagnosed with AAV.
Genolution Unveils Extracellular Vesicle Isolation Platform, Eyes Multiple Disease Applications
SAN FRANCISCO – South Korean firm Genolution introduced its extracellular vesicle (EV) isolation system, called Nx-Evo, at the annual Precision Medicine Tri-Con being held here this week. Minlee Kim, Genolution's chief technology officer and co-CEO, said that the platform was designed to enable EV isolation replicability and automation at scale, which she described as key unmet needs that have created a bottleneck to broader adoption of these technologies.
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