Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group, now a part of the ECOG-ACRIN Cancer Research Group, has entered into an agreement to use Sequenta's new LymphoSIGHT sequencing method in its randomized E1411 phase II trial.
LymphoSIGHT is designed for the amplification and sequencing of immunoglobulin and T cell receptors and for ultra-sensitive detection and monitoring of T and B cells (white blood cells).
The objective of the trial is to study the effect of bortezomib and lenalidomide in induction and consolidation therapy and to compare two methods of MRD detection - the LymphoSIGHT platform and flow cytometry - as prognostic markers.
322 patients of 60 years of age and older, with Mantle cell lymphoma, will undergo testing for MRD during treatment and for up to three years of clinical follow-up.
Fox Chase Cancer Center spokesperson and ECOG trial chair Mitchell Smith said Sequenta's technology will allow the company to gain new insight into the prognostic value of MRD testing and to directly test its performance against state-of-the-art flow and imaging techniques.
"Interventions based on subclinical disease progression combined with novel treatment regimens hold the promise of improving outcomes in this difficult disease," Smith added.
Sequenta CEO Tom Willis said, "Our participation in a high-profile clinical trial such as this one represents a great opportunity for our technology platform and provides a demonstration of the value Sequenta can deliver as an integrated testing lab."