Original from: Guardant Health
Guardant Health, Inc. (Nasdaq: GH), a leading precision oncology company, today announced it has reached a strategic agreement with LabFlorida/SunDx Labs to provide residents of senior living communities access to Guardant Shield™, the first blood test approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) as a primary screening option for colorectal cancer (CRC). As part of the agreement, LabFlorida will serve as the exclusive distributor to senior living communities throughout Florida. LabFlorida/SunDX provides premier concierge-style lab testing, tailored specifically for assisted and independent living and homebound patients.
Shield is the first blood test approved by the FDA as a primary screening option for CRC, the second leading cause of cancer-related deaths in the U.S.1 CRC has a 91 percent five-year survival rate if caught in early stages. Yet, one out of three eligible adults in the U.S. - over 50 million people - do not complete the recommended screening in part because they find the available options, colonoscopy and stool tests, unpleasant or inconvenient. For the one to two million individuals in senior living communities, routine screening is especially critical, as the risk of colorectal cancer increases with age.2 A recent NIH pilot study found that up to 71% of assisted living residents were not up to date with CRC screening.3 With Shield, individuals can be screened with a simple blood draw, helping to detect cancer early, when it is more treatable.
¡°Shield has the potential to be revolutionary for senior living communities. Colorectal cancer disproportionately affects older adults, yet seniors, who are the most vulnerable population, are overwhelmingly under-screened,¡± said AmirAli Talasaz, Guardant Health co-CEO. ¡°By making screening easy with a simple blood draw, Shield can redefine preventative healthcare for residents and has the power to increase screening rates and improve patient outcomes.¡±
¡°We are proud to partner with Guardant Health to bring the Shield test to the senior living communities we serve,¡± said Ralph Nenna, VP of Business Development of LabFlorida/SunDx Labs. ¡°The Shield test represents a game changer in early detection and preventive care ¨C making CRC screening more accessible and comfortable for seniors.¡±
