Natera to Present 35 Studies at ASCO 2026, Highlighting Expanding Leadership in Oncology and MRD-Guided Cancer Care
Natera, a global leader in cell-free DNA and precision medicine, announced a landmark oncology data program for the 2026 American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) Annual Meeting, reinforcing its position at the forefront of molecular residual disease (MRD) testing and precision oncology.
The annual meeting, scheduled to take place from May 29 to June 2 in Chicago, Illinois, will feature one of the company’s most extensive clinical showcases to date. Natera, together with its global research collaborators, will present 35 abstracts spanning MRD testing, treatment monitoring, and broader innovations in cancer genomics. The program will also include three oral presentations, underscoring the clinical relevance and scientific depth of its latest findings.
Expanding Evidence Base in MRD and Precision Oncology
At ASCO 2026, Natera will highlight a comprehensive body of evidence supporting its flagship MRD test, Signatera, which is designed to detect minimal traces of cancer through circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA). The presentations collectively demonstrate how MRD-guided decision-making is transforming oncology practice by enabling earlier intervention, better treatment stratification, and improved long-term patient outcomes.
The company emphasized that this year’s ASCO program reflects unprecedented scale in evidence generation across multiple tumor types and clinical settings. The studies span adjuvant treatment, disease surveillance, treatment response monitoring, hereditary cancer risk assessment, and real-world evidence generation.
According to Natera, the breadth of data reinforces the growing clinical adoption of Signatera and highlights the expanding role of ctDNA-based technologies in personalized cancer care.
“This is the most comprehensive oncology data program Natera has presented to date, reflecting the growing adoption of Signatera and the accelerating momentum behind precision MRD-guided care,” said Alexey Aleshin, M.D., corporate chief medical officer and general manager of oncology at Natera. “Collectively, these studies reinforce Signatera’s broad clinical utility, highlight the continued advancement of our technology platform, and demonstrate the strength and depth of our evidence as we work to make cancer care more actionable and personalized.”
Treatment on MRD (TOMR): Advancing Precision in Colorectal Cancer
A major focus of the ASCO 2026 presentations is Natera’s Treatment on MRD (TOMR) approach, which uses serial ctDNA testing to guide adjuvant therapy decisions. Several analyses from the GALAXY study in colorectal cancer (CRC) will demonstrate how MRD-guided care can optimize treatment duration and improve patient outcomes.
One key analysis highlights the clinical significance of dynamic changes in MRD status. Patients who were initially negative on Signatera testing but later converted to positive experienced substantial benefit from adjuvant chemotherapy (ACT), with a hazard ratio (HR) of 0.3. This finding suggests that molecular recurrence detected through ctDNA may identify patients who would benefit from early therapeutic intervention.
Conversely, patients who remained consistently Signatera-negative showed excellent outcomes regardless of whether they received adjuvant chemotherapy, raising the possibility that some patients may be safely spared from overtreatment.
Another analysis from the same study evaluates treatment duration and molecular response patterns. Extending adjuvant chemotherapy beyond three months did not provide additional benefit for patients who maintained MRD negativity or achieved complete molecular clearance. However, patients who showed partial molecular response—defined by a reduction in ctDNA levels—appeared to benefit from continued therapy. In contrast, molecular progression during treatment indicated resistance and the need for alternative therapeutic strategies.
Together, these findings highlight how MRD monitoring may enable more personalized treatment duration and improve decision-making in colorectal cancer care.
Pan-Cancer MRD: Broad Validation Across Tumor Types
Natera will also present a large-scale, real-world meta-analysis evaluating Signatera across 18 published studies involving more than 3,000 patients and 15 tumor types. This represents one of the most comprehensive pan-cancer validations of MRD technology to date.
The analysis demonstrates a strong and consistent association between Signatera positivity and increased risk of disease recurrence or progression across multiple clinical settings. Across all tumor types studied, ctDNA detection served as a powerful prognostic marker.
In the adjuvant setting, patients who tested positive for Signatera showed a significantly increased risk of recurrence or death, with a hazard ratio of 8.15. In the surveillance setting, where patients are monitored after treatment completion, the prognostic value of ctDNA was even more pronounced, with Signatera positivity associated with an 18.30-fold increased risk of recurrence.
These findings reinforce the clinical utility of MRD testing not only as a prognostic tool but also as a means of identifying patients who may benefit from closer surveillance or early therapeutic intervention.
Ultra-Sensitive Phased Variant Technology
Another key area of focus at ASCO 2026 is Natera’s phased variant technology, which underpins the high sensitivity of its ctDNA detection platform. This technology enables detection of extremely low levels of circulating tumor DNA—below one part per 10 million—offering one of the most sensitive approaches currently available in oncology diagnostics.
Several studies highlight the prognostic strength of this technology across both solid tumors and hematologic malignancies.
In early-stage non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), one study demonstrated that all patients who cleared ctDNA during or after adjuvant therapy remained recurrence-free. Additionally, ctDNA detection preceded clinical recurrence in 94% of cases, suggesting strong potential for early relapse detection before radiographic evidence emerges.
In a separate analysis involving patients with relapsed or refractory follicular lymphoma treated with CAR T-cell therapy, those who achieved MRD negativity showed significantly improved progression-free survival. The 36-month progression-free survival rate was 81% in MRD-negative patients compared with 56% in those who remained MRD-positive, highlighting the prognostic value of ctDNA monitoring in hematologic cancers as well.
Real-World Evidence and Platform Expansion
Beyond clinical trial data, Natera will present multiple real-world evidence studies evaluating ctDNA dynamics across a range of cancers, including colorectal cancer, NSCLC, and breast cancer. These studies aim to bridge the gap between clinical research and everyday oncology practice by analyzing large patient datasets and longitudinal outcomes.
In addition to clinical data presentations, Natera will introduce its new Annotation platform at ASCO 2026. This digital tool integrates clinical records, treatment histories, and genomic data into a unified interface, enabling comprehensive visualization of patient journeys over time.
The platform is designed to enhance the interpretability of Signatera results by providing clinicians with richer context at both the individual patient and population levels. By combining molecular data with treatment timelines and outcomes, the tool aims to support more informed decision-making and improved clinical workflow efficiency.
Strengthening Leadership in MRD-Guided Cancer Care
Overall, Natera’s 2026 ASCO program reflects a rapidly expanding body of evidence supporting the role of MRD testing in modern oncology. With 35 abstracts and multiple oral presentations, the company is positioning Signatera as a foundational tool in precision cancer care across tumor types and treatment settings.
The breadth of data—from colorectal cancer treatment optimization to pan-cancer validation and hematologic applications—underscores the versatility of ctDNA-based MRD testing. At the same time, advances in ultra-sensitive detection technology and digital integration tools highlight Natera’s continued innovation in the field.
As oncology continues to move toward more personalized and data-driven approaches, the findings presented at ASCO 2026 are expected to contribute meaningfully to the growing adoption of MRD-guided treatment strategies worldwide.
About Natera
Natera™ is a global leader in cell-free DNA and precision medicine, dedicated to oncology, women’s health, and organ health. We aim to make personalized genetic testing and diagnostics part of the standard-of-care to protect health and inform earlier, more targeted interventions that help lead to longer, healthier lives. Natera’s tests are supported by more than 400 peer-reviewed publications that demonstrate excellent performance. Natera operates ISO 13485-certified and CAP-accredited laboratories certified under the Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments (CLIA) in Austin, Texas, and San Carlos, California, and through Foresight Diagnostics, its subsidiary, operates an ISO 27001-certified and CAP-accredited laboratory certified under CLIA in Boulder, Colorado
