Roche has agreed to acquire molecular residual disease (MRD) specialist, Saga Diagnostics and its platform in a $595m bid \u2013 further expanding its cancer monitoring portfolio.<\/p>\n
This merger will see Roche\u2019s precision medicine-focused subsidiary, Foundation Medicine, absorb Saga\u2019s Pathlight platform, which is designed to determine the best treatment option for a patient with cancer. It works by determining an individual\u2019s molecular response to therapy while assessing if their disease has recurred.<\/p>\n
Debuted by Saga in May 2025, Pathlight combines digital PCR with whole genome sequencing (WGS) to spot structural variants, which are large-scale genomic changes that can drive cancer growth, while allowing for \u201cultra-sensitive\u201d detection of MRD in cancer.<\/p>\n
In a bid to develop a \u201cdecentralised MRD solution\u201d that will enable patient access on a global scale, Foundation will combine Pathlight with Roche\u2019s existing range of MRD diagnostic tools \u2013 including the AXELIOS sequencing and Digital LightCycler PCR platforms. Marrying these platforms will further complement Foundation\u2019s range of WGS and circulating tumour DNA (ctDNA) monitoring tests.<\/p>\n
Roche\u2019s Saga buyout comes as the cancer care paradigm shifts towards precision medicine<\/a>, which allows patients to receive treatment catered to their genetic and disease profile.<\/p>\n This has seen MRD tests become increasingly commonplace in cancer, with Foundation\u2019s CEO, Dan Malarek, touting them as \u201cone of the fastest-growing areas within diagnostics\u201d.<\/p>\n \u201cPathlight has demonstrated strong clinical performance in breast and colorectal cancer, and we look forward to expanding its applicability across other tumour types,\u201d Malarek added.<\/p>\n As Roche looks to boost its presence in the MRD testing space, the Swiss giant will also face growing competition from other companies in the space.<\/p>\n This includes Natera, which became the first company to market an MRD test. The company has since submitted a premarket approval (PMA) application to US regulators for its CDx MRD test, Signatera, in February 2026, following a Phase III victory<\/a> in muscle-invasive bladder cancer (MIBC). Natera also acquired Foresight Diagnostics in December 2025, expanding its current offering to include the latter\u2019s phased variant technology.<\/p>\n Another prevalent name in the MRD testing space, Guardant Health, recently acquired MetaSight Diagnostics for $149m<\/a>, which came amid the backdrop of strong 2025 revenue growth driven by its oncology division.<\/p>\n