IreneHernandez Perez Laboratorio de Patología Molecular, Fundación Jiménez Díaz Health Research InstituteSpain

IreneHernandez Perez
Irene Hernandez Perez MSc, Laboratorio de Patología Molecular, Fundación Jiménez Díaz Health Research Institute, Madrid, Spain

Tuesday 09 June 2026

Time Session
13:30
14:15
Bio-Rad Laboratories Industry Symposium: Bio-Rad Laboratories sponsored Industry Symposium: Tumour Informed ctDNA Analysis by Droplet Digital PCR for Treatment Monitoring in Metastatic Cancer
Droplet Digital PCR (ddPCR) provides ultrasensitive, quantitative detection of low-frequency tumour variants in plasma and tissue, reliably identifying mutations below 1% allele frequency. In metastatic breast cancer, ddPCR detects ESR1 mutations (reported in >60% of patients) and enables circulating tumour DNA monitoring; its clinical value is supported by a European early access program and helps guide personalised therapy, including selective estrogen receptor degraders. In metastatic NSCLC, where response biomarkers for chemo-immunotherapy are limited, the B-IO study tracks tumour-informed, patient-specific mutations by longitudinal multicolor ddPCR in 73 stage IV patients after TKI progression to predict treatment response.
IreneHernandez Perez Industry Speaker Laboratorio de Patología Molecular, Fundación Jiménez Díaz Health Research InstituteSpain
Marco Bianchi Industry Speaker Bio-Rad LaboratoriesItaly
PimRozendal Industry Speaker Department of Pathology, University Medical Center GroningenNetherlands
  • Introduction
    Marco Bianchi Industry Moderator/ Chair Bio-Rad LaboratoriesItaly
  • The B-IO Study - Unravelling tumour response and resistance to combined chemotherapy and PD-L1 inhibition with minimal invasive techniques in patients with advanced NSCLC with targetable disease
    Chemo-immunotherapy has become the standard first-line treatment for metastatic non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC); however, reliable biomarkers to guide patient selection and predict treatment response are still lacking. In the B-IO Study, we aim to predict response to chemo-immunotherapy in 73 stage IV NSCLC patients with known driver mutations who progressed after tyrosine kinase inhibitor treatment. We focus on personalized monitoring of therapy response to chemo-immunotherapy using ddPCR-based ctDNA analysis. Serial plasma samples were collected during treatment and analysed by plasma-based next-generation sequencing and patient-specific digital droplet PCR. At baseline, both tumour- (Roche AVENIO CGP) and ctDNA profiling with Roche AVENIO ctDNA Expanded and Surveillance v2 NGS panels were performed to identify tumor-specific mutations, which were then used to design patient- specific Bio-Rad ddPCR assays. Experience with multicolor-ddPCR analysis using tumour- and/or plasma-baseline selected mutations will be presented.
    PimRozendal Industry Speaker Department of Pathology, University Medical Center GroningenNetherlands
  • Bio-Rad Droplet Digital PCR: Ultrasensitive technique for low VAF detection in liquid biopsy
    Ultrasensitive methods of detection for low frequency variants are necessary in fields like Oncology to improve patient diagnosis and treatment. Bio-Rad developed a highly sensitive technology, the Droplet Digital PCR (ddPCR), for plasma and tumour tissue biopsy. It identifies prevalent mutations in relevant genes like Estrogen Receptor 1 (ESR1), detected at variant allele frequency (VAF) below 1% in approximately 40% of breast cancer patients. Owing to its sensitivity and short around time, ddPCR emerged as an extremely valuable tool for disease monitoring that facilitates the access to personalized treatments such as Elacestrant or Camizestrant for metastatic breast cancer patients
    IreneHernandez Perez Industry Speaker Laboratorio de Patología Molecular, Fundación Jiménez Díaz Health Research InstituteSpain
Room F1+2+3