MedGenome launches OncoTrack MRD, looks beyond what scans can see

MedGenome has launched OncoTrack MRD, a personalised and ultrasensitive NGS-based tumour-informed Molecular Residual Disease (MRD) test for cancer patients.

Launched in Bengaluru on September 3, the test uses a patient’s own tumour tissue to identify tumour-specific signals and then tracks circulating tumour DNA through blood samples.

The company says the test can detect and measure residual cancer, identify potential recurrence earlier than conventional methods and support treatment decisions. It can also be repeated through a blood test multiple times a year, as clinically appropriate.

There is a simple reason why this matters.

A cancer scan can tell a doctor what is visible. But what happens when a molecular signal suggests residual disease, even though nothing can yet be seen?

That is the gap MedGenome is trying to address. 

“While imaging remains an essential part of cancer follow up, microscopic disease can sometimes remain undetected until it progresses. Tumour informed MRD testing offers clinicians a powerful tool to identify patients who may require closer surveillance or timely intervention, supporting a more personalised approach to cancer care,” said Dr Niti Raizada, Principal Director-Medical Oncology, Fortis Hospitals, speaking at a panel discussion at the launch event.

OncoTrack MRD uses a patient’s own tumour tissue rather than relying on a generic set of mutations. The company says this allows it to track tumour-specific signals through circulating tumour DNA. It is also meant to complement, rather than replace, imaging and clinical assessment.

That distinction matters because a molecular signal is not the same as a visible tumour. And a positive MRD result does not automatically mean the same treatment decision across all solid cancers.

The evidence around MRD-guided treatment is still developing across different tumour types.

That came through during the discussion around the launch. One of the clinicians pointed to the need for more evidence before MRD can drive wider changes in clinical practice.

MedGenome is also looking to build more evidence in India. Dr Ramprasad Vedam, CEO, MedGenome said the company has started an academic MRD study and is encouraging oncologists and hospitals to participate. According to the company, patients participating in the study will not be charged.

The company also points to global clinical evidence from the GALAXY study, part of the CIRCULATE-Japan programme, as well as the IMvigor011 and ADAURA trials. It says these studies support the role of tumour-informed ctDNA in monitoring treatment, detecting recurrence earlier and supporting more personalised treatment decisions.

Why MRD matters

OncoTrack MRD can be applied across a broad range of solid tumours, including breast, colorectal, lung, ovarian and other gynaecological cancers, pancreatic, oesophageal, gastric, hepatocellular and thoracic cancers, as well as melanoma.

The company particularly highlights resected Stage II/III colorectal cancer, early-stage non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), and early or locally advanced breast cancer after curative-intent treatment.

The idea is to add another layer to what doctors already know from scans and clinical assessment.

Dr Vinayak Maka, Senior Medical Oncologist, Ramaiah Memorial Hospital, puts the broader shift simply, “The future of cancer care is not just about treating the disease we can see, but also detecting and monitoring the disease we cannot yet see. MRD testing has the potential to bring greater precision to these critical clinical decisions.”

Dr Rajeev Vijayakumar, Senior Consultant – Medical Oncology, Hemato-oncology, and BMT Physician at Gleneagles BGS Hospitals, adds, “As oncology moves towards more personalized treatment, the ability to monitor a patient’s disease at the molecular level can give clinicians an additional layer of information, helping us understand how a patient is responding and how their disease may be evolving.”

For MedGenome, though, this is not just an oncology story.

The adoption story is changing

The company says genomic testing is moving beyond India’s biggest cities and into more areas of clinical care.

Dr Vedam points to the changing source of demand. “27 per cent of the samples that we get are from tier 2 type 3 cities, which was not the case 7 years back.”

Speaking to Express Pharma on the sidelines of the launch, he also said, “Today, if not in all specialties, in maternity, newborn, oncology and rare diseases, in at least 30-40 percent of situations, without genetic tests, doctors are not taking decisions.”

These are company estimates, rather than independently established market-wide figures. But they point to a market that is changing.

It is not mature yet. Dr Vedam’s own assessment is that India is “still scratching the surface.”

For rare diseases, he estimated that only about 20 percent of patients currently access genetic testing. He pointed to awareness, counselling, treatment availability and cost as some of the barriers.

And that brings the conversation to the bigger challenge.

The problem is not just the test

Building a good genomic test is one thing. Getting it used widely is another.

Identifying three areas where more work is needed, Dr Vedam lists awareness, insurance coverage and government-led population screening.

The awareness gap is particularly visible outside tertiary care. He points out, “Today, I would say about 60 to 70 per cent of the tertiary care clinicians know what genetic tests, when to use, when to not use. But at the secondary level and the primary level, many are not aware.”

Then there is the question of cost. Vedam said genomic testing cannot become widely accessible if families are expected to bear costs ranging from Rs 50,000 to Rs 2 lakh themselves.

He feels that this is where insurance could make a difference, particularly because many genomic tests are outpatient diagnostics rather than hospital-based procedures.

Dr Vedam also sees a role for greater government-private collaboration and believes regulation needs to keep pace with the technology. 

Cancer is only one part of the bet

This is where OncoTrack MRD becomes part of a much bigger story.

MedGenome says it offers more than 1,300 high-end genetic tests across oncology, inherited diseases, reproductive diseases, infectious diseases and preventive wellness.

It has sequenced more than 600,000 exomes and genomes, built a network of more than 8,000 hospitals and 27,000 clinicians across India, and operates across India, the US, Singapore and Africa.

And the pipeline is moving beyond MRD.

Dr Vedam also told Express Pharma that the company is planning to launch another major test in the rare disease space. 

He informs, “So we are launching one major test on rare disease side, which will increase the diagnostic yield. That is going to be the first in the country.”

So the direction is becoming clearer.

Diagnose. Characterise. Monitor. Detect earlier.

That is the bigger genomics bet.

Dr Vedam described the OncoTrack MRD launch as part of MedGenome’s continued commitment to “Make in India for the world”, with the aim of making advanced precision oncology more affordable and accessible.

But making these technologies available is only one part of the challenge. The bigger question is whether genomic tests can reach the right patients, become affordable, and be integrated into routine clinical practice. Just as importantly, will the evidence be strong enough to change clinical decisions?

OncoTrack MRD is MedGenome’s latest effort to address some of these gaps.

And the more interesting question is what comes next.

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