Precede Biosciences presented groundbreaking data at the 2025 American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) Annual Meeting demonstrating their ability to predict tumor gene expression from a simple blood test, potentially revolutionizing precision medicine approaches in oncology.
The Boston-based company unveiled results showing their comprehensive epigenomic platform can systematically and quantitatively predict the expression of more than 2,500 disease-relevant tumor genes from just 1mL of plasma. This technological advancement could significantly impact both drug development and clinical practice.
Revolutionary Liquid Biopsy Technology
The platform focuses on genes that include key targets for next-generation precision medicines, such as NECTIN4, B7H4, HER3, DLL3, MUC1, MET, and HER2. Additionally, it can detect master regulators of transcription, including AR, ER, FOXA1, ASCL1, and NEUROD1.
"Incorporating transcriptional insights into clinical decision-making could refine how we match patients to therapies, especially when biopsy isn't feasible or actionable targets are driven by expression, not mutation," said Gordon Mills, MD, PhD, Professor at Oregon Health and Science University and Director of Precision Oncology at the Knight Cancer Institute.
The technology addresses a critical gap in current precision medicine approaches, which often rely on invasive tissue biopsies that may not be possible in all patients or may not fully capture the heterogeneity of a tumor.
Clinical Implications and Future Directions
Rehan Verjee, CEO of Precede Bio, emphasized the significance of these findings: "The data presented at AACR demonstrate the significant advances we continue to make as we work towards more fully enabling biology-based decision-making in both drug R&D and in clinical practice."
He added that while predicting the expression of over 2,500 disease-relevant tumor genes from a minimal blood sample is impressive, "these results are in fact a new lower bound for what we can achieve with our platform."
The platform's ability to resolve mechanisms of response and resistance from a small blood sample could transform how oncologists monitor treatment efficacy and adapt therapeutic strategies in real-time.
Addressing Unmet Needs in Cancer Care
Current cancer treatment paradigms often face challenges in selecting the most appropriate therapy for individual patients. Traditional approaches rely heavily on detecting genetic mutations, but many newer targeted therapies depend on the expression levels of specific proteins rather than mutations alone.
Precede Bio's technology aims to bridge this gap by providing comprehensive information about gene expression patterns directly from blood samples, potentially enabling more precise therapy selection and monitoring.
The company's platform is currently available to drug developers and academic researchers, suggesting a strategic focus on improving drug development success rates before potentially expanding into clinical applications.
Industry Impact and Market Positioning
Precede Biosciences positions itself at the intersection of liquid biopsy technology and precision medicine, two rapidly growing fields in oncology. By focusing on epigenomic profiling rather than just genetic mutations, the company differentiates its approach from many existing liquid biopsy technologies.
The presentation at AACR 2025, taking place from April 25 to 30 in Chicago, Illinois, represents a significant milestone for the company as it continues to validate its technology and expand its applications.
As precision medicine continues to evolve, technologies that can provide deeper biological insights non-invasively will likely play an increasingly important role in cancer care, potentially improving outcomes for patients while reducing the need for invasive procedures.
