Natera, Diakonos Oncology collaborate on melanoma trial

Natera, a leader in cell-free DNA and precision medicine, announced a collaboration with Diakonos Oncology Corporation, a biotechnology company. This partnership involves using Natera's Signatera test to assess molecular response in patients with refractory melanoma participating in Diakonos' DOC-RM Phase I/II immunotherapy trial. The trial evaluates DOC1021 (dubodencel), a personalized dendritic cell therapy that recently received Fast Track designation from the United States — Food and Drug Administration for unresectable or metastatic cutaneous melanoma. The integration of Signatera aims to provide earlier insights into molecular response and disease dynamics, which is crucial given the challenges of radiographic assessment in immunotherapy-treated patients and the significant unmet need in refractory melanoma.