Press release summary
Abbott has launched a next-generation version of its Oncodetect molecular residual disease test for patients with solid tumors. The tumor-informed test analyzes a patient’s tumor to identify a personalized set of DNA variants, then looks for those markers in blood samples during and after treatment.
The new version moves from whole-exome to whole-genome sequencing and can track as many as 5,000 patient-specific variants, compared with up to 200 in the earlier test. Abbott said its MAESTRO enrichment method concentrates tumor-derived DNA before sequencing, producing a stated limit of detection below one part per million under high-end sample inputs while maintaining analytical specificity above 99%. Clinical studies are continuing across multiple tumor types.
For laboratory readers, the launch illustrates how deeper sequencing and targeted enrichment are being combined to improve analytical sensitivity in circulating tumor DNA workflows. It also raises practical questions about tumor-sample intake, longitudinal blood collection, informatics, validation, and result integration. Oncodetect is a laboratory-developed test performed by Genomic Health in a CLIA-certified high-complexity laboratory. Abbott states that it has not been cleared or approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.
Original release: Abbott, Oct. 26, 2026.
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