Personalis Pioneers Advancement in MRD Testing with the Launch of its Real-Time Variant Tracker
January 12, 2026 – Biotechnology, Drug Discovery, Other, Pharmaceutical – Personalis, ctDNA, genomics, molecular residual disease, oncology
New NeXT Personal extension empowers clinicians to identify emerging resistance and therapeutically targetable mutations during disease monitoring and surveillance
12 January 2026 — California, US — Personalis, Inc, a leader in advanced genomics for cancer, today announced the early access launch of Real-Time Variant Tracker, a powerful new option added to its ultrasensitive NeXT Personal molecular residual disease (MRD) test designed to detect small traces of circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) in the blood that represent residual or recurrent cancer.
Clinicians using the NeXT Personal MRD test will now be able to opt-in for additional reporting on detected resistance and therapeutically targetable mutations that can inform new opportunities to optimize patient management. This includes ESR1 mutations, which can be an indication to switch therapy for HR+/HER2- breast cancer patients, and hundreds of other clinically relevant mutations for solid tumors.
“Personalis pioneered the shift toward ultrasensitive MRD, and today we are once again taking another innovative step forward,” said Chris Hall, Chief Executive Officer and President of Personalis. “Real-Time Variant Tracker marks a new milestone in our mission to enable physicians to fight cancer with a truly personalized approach.”
This new capability enables clinicians using the NeXT Personal MRD test to additionally monitor for:
- Emerging or evolving therapy resistance mutations that could impact clinical management
- Therapeutically targetable mutations associated with approved therapies
“The ability to detect evolving, clinically relevant mutations in genes like ESR1 during MRD monitoring and surveillance gives physicians a new tool to help optimize care,” said Richard Chen, M.D., M.S., Chief Medical Officer and Executive Vice President of R&D at Personalis. “We are continuing to innovate to empower physicians with the precision tools they need to better manage patients through their entire journey.”
Availability
The Real-Time Variant Tracker option for NeXT Personal is available to physicians who participate in the Early Access Program (EAP). The EAP is designed for clinical and academic leaders using NeXT Personal who are looking to integrate this new capability into their clinical practice and research. The ability to track mutations is also available to Personalis’ biopharma partners.
About Personalis
At Personalis, we are transforming the active management of cancer through breakthrough personalized testing. We aim to drive a new paradigm for cancer management, guiding care throughout the patient journey. Our highly sensitive assays combine tumor-and-normal profiling with proprietary algorithms to deliver advanced insights even as cancer evolves over time. Our products are designed to detect minimal residual disease (MRD) and recurrence at the earliest timepoints, enable selection of targeted therapies based on ultra-comprehensive genomic profiling, and enhance biomarker strategy for drug development. Personalis is based in Fremont, California. To learn more, visit www.personalis.com
