Synnovis and SOPHiA GENETICS expand liquid biopsy testing in NHS cancer care
apopescu@pmlive.com | May 13, 2026 | News story | Research and Development |Â Â Sophia Genetics, SynnovisÂ
Synnovis and SOPHiA GENETICS have announced a collaboration to expand blood-based cancer testing for patients with lung and breast cancer across the UK through NHS England’s blood test programme.
The partnership supports use of the MSK-ACCESS test powered by SOPHiA DDM, which analyses circulating tumour DNA (ctDNA) from a blood sample to identify genomic alterations linked to targeted treatment options. The test was originally developed by the Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in New York.
Liquid biopsy testing offers a less invasive alternative to tissue biopsy and may help some patients avoid additional procedures. According to the companies, the approach can also shorten the time taken to identify suitable targeted therapies, potentially allowing treatment decisions to be made up to two weeks earlier.
Synnovis said it is currently supporting around 400 patients each month through ctDNA testing following a pilot programme. One reported case involved a patient with suspected advanced lung cancer receiving a personalised treatment plan within two weeks, while another identified additional genetic variants in a patient who had been living with breast cancer for more than 15 years.
The organisations estimate that around 7,000 patients with breast or lung cancer could be tested annually through the programme, representing roughly one-third of ctDNA tests carried out in England.
Persephone du Parcq, lead translational scientist at Synnovis, said liquid biopsy testing could improve access for patients unable to tolerate invasive procedures or travel to specialist centres. She added that wider adoption may also help expand genomic testing services and improve outcomes for larger numbers of patients.
The test uses artificial intelligence-based analysis alongside a matched tumour-normal approach designed to improve accuracy and reduce false positive results.
SOPHiA GENETICS said the platform may also support future expansion into additional cancer indications as NHS screening programmes evolve.
