Guardant Health Announces Partnership with PathGroup Bringing Shield Blood Test to 250+ Hospitals and Health Systems in 25 States
- Strategic partnership will expand Shield to PathGroup's 15,000+ primary care and OBGYN physicians
- PathGroup's extensive network of phlebotomists and Patient Service Centers enables easier access to Shield, the more pleasant and convenient way to screen for CRC
Guardant Health, Inc. (NASDAQ:GH), a leading precision oncology company, today announced a strategic partnership with PathGroup, one of the nation's leading partners to physicians, hospitals, and healthcare networks nationwide, to significantly expand the reach of Guardant's FDA-approved Shield™ blood test. The partnership will bring Shield to more than 250 hospitals and health systems, over 15,000 PathGroup-affiliated physicians across 25 states, and allow more patients to benefit from Guardant's industry-leading Shield blood test for early cancer detection through PathGroup's large network of EMR hospital integrations and phlebotomists. More than five million patients each year receive testing through PathGroup.
PathGroup is also integrating Shield into its robust electronic ordering systems across its health system partners. This frictionless ordering experience will enable providers to add Shield seamlessly within their existing clinical workflow.
"This partnership with PathGroup represents an important milestone in our mission to bring the pleasant and convenient screening option of Shield to as many people as possible and accelerate our commercial distribution plans," said AmirAli Talasaz, Guardant Health co-CEO. "By combining Shield's lifesaving innovation with PathGroup's extensive physician and hospital network, we can bring the benefits of Shield to millions of patients who might otherwise face barriers to screening."
"We are proud to partner with Guardant Health to expand access to the cutting-edge technology Shield provides with a simple blood draw," said Pranil K. Chandra, DO, FCAP, FASCP, PathGroup's Senior Vice President and Chief Genomics Officer. "This collaboration will not only simplify the workflow for providers but also help deliver life-saving early detection to patients across the communities we serve."
Shield is the first and only blood test approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) as a primary screening option for CRC, the second leading cause of cancer-related deaths in the U.S. 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 other available options unpleasant or inconvenient. Through PathGroup's network that includes phlebotomists and Patient Service Centers, more patients in community and rural settings will be able to access CRC screening through a simple blood draw from Shield.
In addition, through this strategic partnership, PathGroup's digitally enabled histopathology lab and physician team will provide expertise in performing immunohistochemistry (IHC) testing for Guardant. Guardant's IHC test suite provides comprehensive testing for key biomarkers in all solid tumors (such as lung, breast, gastric and ovarian cancers).
About Shield
Shield is a non-invasive, blood-based screening test that detects alterations associated with colorectal cancer in the blood. It is intended as a screening test for individuals at average risk for the disease, age 45 or older, and is not intended for individuals at high risk for colorectal cancer. The Shield test can be considered in a manner similar to guideline-recommended non-invasive CRC screening options and can be completed during any healthcare visit. A positive Shield result raises concern for the presence of colorectal cancer or advanced adenoma and the patient should be referred for colonoscopy evaluation.
About Guardant Health
Guardant Health is a leading precision oncology company focused on guarding wellness and giving every person more time free from cancer. Founded in 2012, Guardant is transforming patient care and accelerating new cancer therapies by providing critical insights into what drives disease through its advanced blood and tissue tests, real-world data and AI analytics. Guardant tests help improve outcomes across all stages of care, including screening to find cancer early, monitoring for recurrence in early-stage cancer, and treatment selection for patients with advanced cancer. For more information, visit guardanthealth.com and follow the company on LinkedIn, X (Twitter) and Facebook.
About PathGroup
Founded in 1965, PathGroup is a premier provider of anatomic, clinical, molecular, and digital pathology services in the United States. As a physician-led laboratory, PathGroup works seamlessly with customers to provide superior diagnostic services – a vital link in the cycle of patient relationships. PathGroup utilizes the latest in proprietary and industry standard technology to deliver fast, accurate results. The company provides clients with the highest quality of services available, consistently exceeding the expectations of physicians, employees, payers, and most importantly, patients. PathGroup is more than a laboratory – it is a trusted partner in health, driven by a mission to improve lives through diagnostic excellence and innovation. For more information, visit pathgroup.com.
Guardant Health Forward-Looking Statements
This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of federal securities laws, including statements regarding the potential utilities, values, benefits and advantages of Guardant Health's liquid biopsy tests or assays, which involve risks and uncertainties that could cause the actual results to differ materially from the anticipated results and expectations expressed in these forward-looking statements. These statements are based on current expectations, forecasts and assumptions, and actual outcomes and results could differ materially from these statements due to a number of factors. These and additional risks and uncertainties that could affect Guardant Health's financial and operating results and cause actual results to differ materially from those indicated by the forward-looking statements made in this press release include those discussed under the captions "Risk Factors" and "Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operation" and elsewhere in its Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2024 and in its other reports filed with or furnished to the Securities and Exchange Commission. The forward-looking statements in this press release are based on information available to Guardant Health as of the date hereof, and Guardant Health disclaims any obligation to update any forward-looking statements provided to reflect any change in its expectations or any change in events, conditions, or circumstances on which any such statement is based, except as required by law. These forward-looking statements should not be relied upon as representing Guardant Health's views as of any date subsequent to the date of this press release.
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