Oncamine 52‑Gene Panel
DKL Dr. Kalebi Labs launched the Oncamine™ Focus 52‑gene NGS panel, designed for solid tumors and optimised for very low‑input material from FNAs and FFPE (around 10 ng DNA/RNA). (x.com). The company says the assay detects SNVs, indels, CNVs and fusions (including EGFR, ALK, NTRK) with a two‑week turnaround and is pitched for FNA triage in resource‑limited settings. (x.com)
Cancer testing often starts with a tiny piece of tissue, and that can limit what a lab can measure. DKL Dr. Kalebi Labs said it has launched a next-generation sequencing panel built to read 52 cancer genes from about 10 nanograms of DNA or RNA. (x.com) Next-generation sequencing is a way to scan many genes at once instead of running one test after another. Thermo Fisher says its Oncomine Focus Assay reads DNA and RNA together and looks for four kinds of changes: single-letter mutations, short insertions or deletions, copy-number gains, and gene fusions. (thermofisher.com) DKL said its version is aimed at solid tumors and can work with fine-needle aspirates and formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded tissue, the wax-block samples used in routine pathology. The lab said the panel is designed for low-input material and can return results in about two weeks. (x.com) That matters because many cancer biopsies in daily practice are small, damaged by processing, or both. A 2023 real-world study of the same Oncomine Focus assay said the test was adapted to clinical practice on formalin-fixed samples and supported detection of single-nucleotide variants, insertions and deletions, copy-number variants, and RNA alterations over 21 months of routine use. (nih.gov) The genes DKL highlighted are the ones oncologists often chase when they are matching tumors to targeted drugs. The company said the panel includes epidermal growth factor receptor, anaplastic lymphoma kinase, and neurotrophic tyrosine receptor kinase fusions, which are established targets in parts of lung cancer and other solid tumors. (x.com) (cap.org) Professional guidelines already point labs toward broader molecular panels in some settings instead of isolated single-gene tests. The College of American Pathologists, the International Association for the Study of Lung Cancer, and the Association for Molecular Pathology say larger panels are appropriate for genes such as RET, ERBB2, KRAS, and MET when routine lung cancer testing is being expanded. (cap.org) (amp.org) DKL is pitching the panel for triage from fine-needle aspirates in resource-limited settings, where one small sample may need to cover diagnosis, staging, and treatment selection. The company’s public materials describe DKL as a Kenya-based diagnostics provider with a nationwide service network. (x.com) (dkl.co.ke) The launch does not change the basic tradeoff in cancer genomics: broader testing can save tissue, but labs still need enough tumor cells, clean extraction, and careful interpretation before a result can guide treatment. DKL’s bet is that a 52-gene panel with low material requirements can fit inside that constraint instead of being blocked by it. (nih.gov) (thermofisher.com)
