Telo Genomics' TELO-MRD Assay Outperforms Bone-Marrow Tests in Detecting Multiple Myeloma Cells
News related to:Telo Genomics Corp · 2 min read
Telo Genomics, a biotech company based in Vancouver, British Columbia, has announced significant advancements in its TELO-MRD program, which uses a blood-based approach to detect residual multiple myeloma cells. The company's proprietary TeloView® platform, which combines the enumeration of circulating myeloma plasma cells with three-dimensional telomere profiling, has shown promising results in a comparison with established bone-marrow MRD methods.
In a retrospective collaboration with the University of Athens, Telo Genomics compared its TELO-MRD assay with EuroFlow next-generation flow cytometry (NGF), a method widely used for MRD assessment in multiple myeloma. The study involved approximately 100 samples, including both diagnostic and monitoring samples. Among the 42 evaluable samples with exact patient- and date-matched bone-marrow EuroFlow NGF results, the TELO-MRD assay detected circulating myeloma cells in 39 out of 42 samples (92.9%), compared to 23 out of 42 (54.8%) by EuroFlow NGF. The TELO-MRD was positive in 17 out of 19 NGF-negative samples (89.5%) and in 22 out of 23 NGF-positive samples (95.7%), with a statistically significant difference in paired detection.
John Farlinger, Chief Executive Officer and Chairman of Telo Genomics, commented, "Our TeloView® solution detected residual disease in a higher proportion of matched samples than bone-marrow EuroFlow NGF in this dataset. We are also introducing the TELO-MRD scoring model, which is designed to help assess relapse risk in patients with residual multiple myeloma."
The TELO-MRD scoring model is intended to provide relapse-risk information beyond tumor burden alone. It combines the detection of residual disease with single-cell genomic instability profiling, which is not currently available through standard MRD assessment methods. Dr.
Dr. Kenneth C Anderson, MD, Kraft Family Professor of Medicine at Harvard Medical School and Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, added, "Clinical study data showed that our TeloView® solution detected residual disease in a higher proportion of matched samples than bone-marrow EuroFlow NGF in this dataset. These results are promising but need confirmation in larger studies."
Dr.
Multiple myeloma remains incurable, and therapy has extended survival but often leaves residual cancer cells that can lead to relapse. Telo Genomics believes that combining MRD detection, identification of malignant circulating cells, and relapse-risk information in one blood-based workflow could support more individualized management of the disease. The company plans to continue development of TELO-MRD with the objective of a commercial application by the end of calendar 2027.
The global addressable market for MRD testing in multiple myeloma is estimated at approximately US$300 million to US$400 million, according to strategicmarketresearch.com. While TELO-MRD is not yet commercially available, the company is optimistic about its potential to provide actionable information to medical professionals in the treatment of multiple myeloma.