Leading brand in genetic testing SOFIVA Genomics (6615) recently announced that its consolidated revenue for August was US $41.79 million. The accumulated annual revenue currently stands at US $344 million, which is higher than the corresponding period in 2020 and shows the company continues to steadily operate and grow during the epidemic situation. During the Taiwan Urological Association (TUA) precision medicine in prostate cancer symposium held on Sept. 12, SOFIVA officially launched Taiwan’s only genetic testing panel specifically designed for the targeted therapy of prostate cancer and BRCA1/2 ctDNA gene tests. It can help prostate cancer patients to find suitable targeted therapy drugs within two to three weeks, and determine their risk of developing other types of cancer. Every year, over 6,000 people are diagnosed with prostate cancer. It is estimated that 30% of patients will benefit from genetic testing.
SOFIVA General Manager Chia-Cheng Hung says that SOFIVA’s genetic test for cancer risk tests for the BRCA 1/2 gene. The prostate cancer genetic testing panel also tests for “21 homologous recombination repair (HRR) genes and DNA mismatch repair (MMR) gene mutations” and “microsatellite intensity (MSI).” Tumor tissue or blood is used to determine whether a metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC) patient has HRR gene mutations and whether there is a risk of developing Lynch syndrome.
Genetic testing has spurred a new era of “targeted therapy.” Prostate cancer patients can use BRCA gene tests to learn about suitable treatment options in advance. They can also use the newest ctDNA gene tests to more accurately assess the status of genes and devise suitable treatment programs.
Precision Medicine is the Trend, Prevention is Better Than Treatment
The Industrial Technology Research Institute estimates the value of the global precision medicine market will reach US $584.7 billion in 2025, with an annual growth rate of 12.8%. With rapid developments in genetic testing technologies, genomics, information science, and medical technologies, customized precision medical treatment has become the future of medical treatment. The past practice of focusing on treatment will become history. More and more studies have confirmed that cancer is caused by mutations in genes. The keys to effectively preventing and fighting cancer lie in genetic testing for early diagnosis and customized precision treatment.
Specially Designed for Prostate Cancer Targeted Therapy, 30% of Patients Expected to Benefit
SOFIVA designed a genetic testing panel specifically for prostate cancer treated with PARP inhibitors to benefit precision treatment for cancer. It tests for 21 genes. If 14 of the genes are mutated, then it means that PARP inhibitors are a suitable treatment. The others are inherited genes recommended for testing by the U.S.’ National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) Guidelines for Prostate Cancer, including the MHL1, MSH2, MSH6, and PMS2 genes, which are all related to DNA repair.