Natera Announces Expansion Into Early Cancer Detection and Screening

Rhea-AI Summary

Natera, Inc. (NASDAQ: NTRA) has announced the appointment of Dr. Alexey Aleshin as General Manager of Early Cancer Detection (ECD), part of its strategic expansion into the ECD market. Dr. Aleshin, who has extensive experience in oncology, will continue overseeing medical affairs while leading ECD initiatives. The company aims to leverage a biobank of colorectal cancer samples from Aarhus University, potentially accelerating ECD product development and FDA approval. CEO Steve Chapman emphasizes the opportunity to improve early cancer detection, enhancing patient outcomes.

Positive

• Appointment of Dr. Alexey Aleshin as GM of ECD could enhance leadership and strategic direction in early cancer detection initiatives.
• Access to a biobank of 40,000 colorectal cancer samples from Aarhus University may accelerate product development and market introduction.
• Broader focus on early cancer detection aligns with company growth objectives and demonstrates commitment to innovation in oncology.

Negative

• No immediate clinical or financial results related to ECD growth or revenue generation were outlined.
• The search for a new Chief Medical Officer may introduce temporary leadership gaps in oncology operations.

Dr. Alexey Aleshin to take on new role as GM of early cancer detection at Natera

AUSTIN, Texas--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Natera, Inc. (NASDAQ: NTRA), a leader in personalized genetic testing and diagnostics, today announced its expansion into the early cancer detection (ECD) market to advance the company’s strategic growth objectives in emerging areas of ECD and screening. Alexey Aleshin, M.D., M.B.A., has been named general manager (GM) of ECD, where he will be responsible for strategy and execution for Natera’s ECD products. Dr. Aleshin has previously held leadership roles overseeing Natera's oncology medical affairs and will continue to serve in that capacity while Natera conducts a search for a chief medical officer for oncology.

"In the span of just a few years, Natera has gone from being a market leader in non-invasive prenatal testing to leading the molecular residual disease (MRD) field as well. An incredible opportunity now lies ahead of us to transform the health of millions of people by detecting cancer in its early stages, when it may still be treatable and, potentially, curable,” said Steve Chapman, Natera’s CEO. “We’re pleased to be elevating and welcoming Dr. Aleshin, a trusted leader and innovator with a proven track record in oncology, to our executive leadership team and we look forward to benefiting from his clinical expertise and strategic vision during this pivotal stage in the company’s growth.”

In November 2021, Natera announced exclusive access from Aarhus University to a biobank of up to 40,000 prospectively collected colorectal cancer screening samples for the development and validation of Natera’s ECD products. This database of samples—the largest known of its kind—may help accelerate the introduction of Natera’s ECD products to market and potentially support key commercial milestones, including the launch of a laboratory developed test and approval from the FDA.

“It’s been a pleasure to work on the development and commercialization of Signatera™ over the last few years. I am grateful and proud of the work we’ve done to advance the field of MRD testing to where it is today, and I look forward to the continued success of our MRD initiatives,” said Dr. Aleshin. “It’s a very exciting time for us at Natera as we begin to accelerate in ECD, and I’m honored to lead this incredibly talented team. Our partnership with Aarhus University, coupled with our own early-stage genomic data, positions us well to develop innovative ECD products that have the potential to save many lives.”

Dr. Aleshin joined Natera in 2017 as medical director of oncology and most recently served as vice president of oncology medical affairs. Prior to Natera, Dr. Aleshin was actively involved as an advisor and consultant at various companies focused on advancing clinical adoption of next generation sequencing technologies. He received his M.D. and M.B.A. from UCLA and later completed his residency at Stanford University Medical Center and his hematology / oncology fellowship at Stanford Hospital, where his research has focused on comprehensive genomic profiling, single cell sequencing and novel MRD technologies.

About Natera

Natera™ is a leader in personalized genetic testing and diagnostics, transforming how we make critical health care decisions. Our tests help clinicians and their patients protect health and enable earlier and more targeted interventions with the goal of longer, healthier lives. Natera’s tests are validated by more than 100 peer-reviewed studies that demonstrate high accuracy and have helped improve patient care outcomes in oncology, women’s health, and organ health. Natera operates ISO 13485-certified and CAP-accredited laboratories certified under the Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments (CLIA) in Austin, Texas and San Carlos, California. For more information, visit www.natera.com.

Forward-Looking Statements

All statements other than statements of historical facts contained in this press release are forward-looking statements and are not a representation that Natera’s plans, estimates, or expectations will be achieved. These forward-looking statements represent Natera’s expectations as of the date of this press release, and Natera disclaims any obligation to update the forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements are subject to known and unknown risks and uncertainties that may cause actual results to differ materially, including with respect to our efforts to develop and commercialize new product offerings, our ability to successfully increase demand for and grow revenues for our product offerings, whether the results of clinical or other studies will support the use of our product offerings, our expectations of the reliability, accuracy and performance of our tests, or of the benefits of our tests and product offerings to patients, providers and payers, or coverage and reimbursement determinations from third-party payers. Additional risks and uncertainties are discussed in greater detail in "Risk Factors" in Natera’s recent filings on Forms 10-K and 10-Q and in other filings Natera makes with the SEC from time to time. These documents are available at www.natera.com/investors and www.sec.gov.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220106005323/en/

Investor Relations: Mike Brophy, CFO, Natera, Inc., 650-249-9090



Media: Kate Stabrawa, Communications, Natera, Inc., 720-318-4080, pr@natera.com

Source: Natera, Inc.

FAQ

What is the latest news about Natera (NTRA) in cancer detection?

Natera recently appointed Dr. Alexey Aleshin as General Manager of Early Cancer Detection to spearhead its new initiatives in cancer screening.

How does Natera's partnership with Aarhus University impact its ECD products?

The partnership gives Natera access to a biobank of 40,000 colorectal cancer samples, which may accelerate the development and validation of its ECD products.

What are Natera's objectives in the early cancer detection market?

Natera aims to expand its market presence and improve patient outcomes by developing innovative ECD products.

Who is Dr. Alexey Aleshin and what is his role at Natera (NTRA)?

Dr. Aleshin is now the General Manager for Early Cancer Detection at Natera, responsible for strategy and execution in ECD initiatives.

What significance does the new appointment of Dr. Aleshin have for Natera's stock (NTRA)?

Dr. Aleshin's appointment is seen as a strategic move to strengthen Natera's leadership in early cancer detection, potentially impacting investor confidence positively.