Roche Introduces in-situ Hybridisation Test To Help Pathologists

Roche, a swiss based healthcare firm, declared the launch of the first clinically approved, highly sensitivity in-situ hybridisation (ISH) test, the VENTANA Kappa and Lambda Dual ISH mRNA Probe Cocktail assay in nations embracing the CE Mark. The test's purpose is to assist pathologists in distinguishing a normal, reactive response to an infection from a B-cell malignancy.

B-cell lymphoma is a kind of cancer that typically creates in the lymphatic framework. It is responsible for about 85% of cases of non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL). NHL is the tenth most common cancer in the world, resulting in over 250,000 deaths annually. Patients may experience red rash, fever, lymph node swelling, fatigue, and loss of appetite in the early stages of NHL.

“It’s important to be able to provide patients with a definitive diagnosis as symptoms of lymphoma can appear similar to the body’s normal reactive response to an infection,” said Matt Sause, CEO of Roche Diagnostics. “This highly sensitive assay offers diagnostic certainty for patients with suspected B-cell lymphoma.”

The new test allows for evaluation of more than 60 subtypes of B-cell lymphoma and plasma cell neoplasms on a single tissue slide with increased sensitivity. The test can evaluate tissue that has been formalin-fixed and small biopsies, eliminating the requirement for a brand-new tissue sample, which may not be available, particularly if lymphoma was not initially suspected. Because of these properties of the test, tissue is preserved, there may be fewer additional patient biopsies performed, and the pathologist can interpret the results more quickly and easily, facilitating a quicker diagnosis and quicker access to treatment for patients. This first-of-its-kind assay is a significant addition to the more than 65 biomarkers in the pharmaceutical company's industry-leading hematopathology portfolio.