Sophia Genetics, an AI-driven precision medicine specialist, is collaborating with Synnovis, a UK-based pathology provider, to bring liquid biopsy testing to lung and breast cancer patients across the UK as part of NHS England’s ‘blood test-first’ program.
Synnovis is a provider for the South East Genomic Medicine Service and is working with Sophia Genetics to launch the liquid biopsy test MSK-Access, powered with Sophia DDMTM.
This test, originally developed by Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Centre in New York, can detect actionable genomic alterations from a single blood draw and utilises AI to analyse circulating tumour DNA (ctDNA) in a minimally invasive manner.
The new blood test can help fast-track cancer patients to receive targeted therapy up to two weeks earlier, while helping some avoid further tests and invasive treatments.
Following the successful pilot program, Synnovis is supporting 400 patients per month with ctDNA liquid biopsy testing and has demonstrated the real-world impact of this advanced care. In one case, a patient with suspected lung cancer was able to receive a ctDNA-informed personalised treatment plan within two weeks. In another case, providers used Sophia DDMTM to identify new genetic variants for a patient who has been living with breast cancer for over 15 years, unlocking additional treatment options and potential eligibility for clinical trials.
Synnovis and Sophia Genetics anticipate that the application will be utilised to test 7,000 breast and lung cancer patients annually, or roughly 1/3 of all ctDNA tests in England, as demand for liquid biopsy testing increases.
Persephone du Parcq, lead translational scientist, Synnovis, said, “Liquid biopsy testing simplifies how we generate genomic insights. A routine blood draw can reveal information from multiple tumour sites and speed up delivery of results to the patients. It also broadens access for patients who cannot tolerate invasive procedures or travel to specialist hospitals. As adoption increases, this approach will substantially expand the reach and impact of genomic testing services, and we anticipate economic
savings for healthcare providers and better outcomes for greater numbers of patients.”
Ross Muken, president, Sophia Genetics, said, “Synnovis plays a vital role in delivering genomic testing services to patients across South East England, and this partnership reflects what becomes possible when world-class pathology infrastructure meets scalable AI-driven analysis. We see this as a defining moment for liquid biopsy at scale within the NHS , and a model for how health systems in Europe can make precision oncology accessible.”
MSK-Access, powered with Sophia DDMTM, also provides Synnovis with the flexibility to incorporate additional indications as they are introduced into future NHS cancer screening programs, and utilises a matched tumour-normal approach as well as technology from AccuGenomics to improve accuracy and avoid false positives.
Laboratories like Synnovis are helping bring NHS England’s ‘blood test-first’ approach to scale through innovative solutions, contributing to a sustainable, data-driven approach to cancer care across the UK. By strengthening its genomic testing infrastructure, Synnovis joins a network of NHS institutions using Sophia Genetics’ technology to conduct local analysis, maintain alignment with NHS data-security standards, and support the operational model of distributed analysis hubs.
A meaningful step forward for cancer diagnostics in the UK. By detecting actionable genomic alterations from a single blood draw, this liquid biopsy approach can fast-track patients to targeted therapy up to two weeks earlier, which is significant in oncology where time matters.