Accurate Prognosis and Molecular Subtyping is a Foundation of Personalized Medicine for Multiple Myeloma pa­tients

New York, NY (Press Release) - Signal Genetics LLC, a leading provider of molecular assays for Multiple Myeloma, has received a positive coverage de­ci­sion and in-network provider status from Arkansas Blue Cross Blue Shield for its MyPRS™ gene ex­pres­sion profiling assay. Little Rock-based Arkansas Blue Cross Blue Shield is part of the Blue Cross Blue Shield network, which serves more than 1 million members across the nation.

MyPRS™ is a molecular cancer assay per­formed on isolated plasma cells from a pa­tient’s bone marrow. Genomic profiling of these cells results in a personalized prognostic score and molecular subtype that predicts out­come in pa­tients with newly diag­nosed or re­lapsed Multiple Myeloma. Extensive clin­i­cal trials and inter­na­tional peer-reviewed studies have been com­pleted that reinforce the clin­i­cal validity and utility and prognostic per­for­mance of the test.

Sam Riccitelli, Pres­i­dent and CEO of Signal Genetics, said, "We are pleased that Arkansas Blue Cross Blue Shield is fol­low­ing Medicare and recognizing the value of the MyPRS™ test in the man­agement of Multiple Myeloma. With Multiple Myeloma, achieving prognostic certainty is critical to optimize ther­a­pies and ulti­mate­ly, pa­tient out­come. This announcement is part of our efforts to work with payers across the country to make this important prognostic test avail­able to clinicians and their pa­tients, helping to sup­port personal­ized medicine with the goal of improving out­comes."

MyPRS™ is becoming a standard tool in the man­agement of Multiple Myeloma. More than 20,000 pa­tients are diag­nosed with Multiple Myeloma in the United States each year. An accurate assess­ment of each pa­tients’ prognosis and molecular/cytogenetic char­ac­ter­istics is the first step to­ward personalized medicine, allowing clinicians managing these pa­tients to treat them most effectively using current ther­a­pies.

About Arkansas Blue Cross Blue Shield

Founded in 1948, Arkansas Blue Cross and Blue Shield, an Independent Licensee of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association, is the largest health insurer in Arkansas. Arkansas Blue Cross and its family of affiliated com­pa­nies have more than 2,500 employees.

Arkansas Blue Cross Blue Shield is a nonprofit organization nationally recog­nized for its commitment to providing inno­va­tive, high-quality health­care coverage. The plan offers members and employers an array of health man­agement pro­grams, which sup­port evi­dence-based ap­proaches to health and wellness.

About Signal Genetics

Signal Genetics™ is an emerging commercial stage, molecular diagnostic com­pany focused on providing inno­va­tive diagnostic services that help physicians make better-informed de­ci­sions concerning the care of their pa­tients suffering from cancer.

The com­pany was founded in April 2010 after becoming the exclusive licensee to the renowned research on multiple myeloma per­formed at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS).

Signal Genetics’ flagship prod­uct - MyPRS™ (Myeloma Prognostic Risk Signature) is based upon more than two decades of clin­i­cal research on nearly 10,000 MM pa­tients who received their care at UAMS.

Signal Genetics™ offer the MyPRS™ test out of its state-of-the-art, CLIA certified reference laboratory located in Little Rock, AR. The com­pany is dedicated to making its extensively val­i­dated diagnostic services avail­able to all pa­tients who need them.

About MyPRS™

MyPRS™, developed by UAMS, has been marketed by Signal Genetics since 2011. The multi-gene test, per­formed on bone marrow aspirate material, has been incorporated into the routine man­agement of pa­tients diag­nosed with Multiple Myeloma in numerous treat­ment centers across the country. MyPRS™ can be used at the time of initial myeloma diag­nosis or if the pa­tient has ex­peri­enced a relapse of their disease.

For more in­for­ma­tion visit www.signalgenetics.com or email info [{at}] signalgenetics {[dot]} com .

Source: Signal Genetics.