SEATTLE, Wash. — September 17, 2026
Adaptive Biotechnologies highlighted updates to the National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) Guidelines for Multiple Myeloma that establish a dedicated framework for minimal or measurable residual disease (MRD) testing throughout the treatment journey. The revised guidelines include a new Principles of MRD Testing page and provide more detailed recommendations on testing sensitivity and timing. The update recognizes MRD assessment as an increasingly important tool for evaluating treatment response, monitoring disease status and supporting treatment discussions in patients with multiple myeloma.
NCCN Recommends Highly Sensitive MRD Assessment
Oral Telomir-Zn treatment for 14 days significantly improved multiple measures of visual performance in the accelerated retinal degeneration model, including central visual response, moving-object tracking and adaptation to changes in light intensity. Histological analyses showed improvements in retinal degeneration and restoration of thickness across multiple retinal layers, including the outer and inner nuclear layers, outer plexiform layer and ganglion cell layer. Telomir-Zn also reduced mitochondrial oxidative stress, with the higher dose lowering reactive oxygen species toward wild-type baseline. Complementary experiments in human ARPE-19 retinal pigment epithelial cells showed dose-dependent reductions in metal-induced calcium dysregulation and intracellular reactive oxygen species.
MRD Monitoring Supports Longitudinal Myeloma Management
The updated guidelines emphasize the role of MRD as a longitudinal measure of disease status, rather than relying solely on an individual assessment. According to the guidelines, MRD negativity and sustained MRD negativity can help inform treatment escalation, de-escalation and maintenance decisions within shared decision-making between clinicians and patients. Conversely, increasing MRD positivity may support closer monitoring and additional clinical evaluation. The recommendations reflect accumulated clinical evidence associating MRD negativity with longer progression-free and overall survival, while reinforcing the importance of repeated assessment over time to characterize the depth and durability of treatment response.
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clonoSEQ Strengthens Role in Hematologic MRD Testing
clonoSEQ is an FDA-cleared in vitro diagnostic for detecting and tracking MRD in multiple myeloma and B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia using bone marrow, as well as chronic lymphocytic leukemia using blood or bone marrow. The assay can detect malignant DNA sequences at a sensitivity of approximately one cancer cell among one million healthy cells and has been evaluated in more than 300 peer-reviewed publications, according to Adaptive. The company is positioning the updated NCCN recommendations as further support for incorporating standardized, highly sensitive MRD assessment into routine myeloma care. Beyond its FDA-cleared uses, clonoSEQ is available as a CLIA-validated laboratory-developed test for additional lymphoid malignancies and specimen types, including diffuse large B-cell lymphoma and mantle cell lymphoma.
Source:Adaptive Biotechnologies, press release
