Keep an eye on Guardant Health (SYM: GH).
The stock is flying today after a US FDA advisory panel recommended the approval of the company’s blood test for colorectal cancer screening.
“The recommendation signals the advisory committee panel’s consensus on Shield’s safety and effectiveness with its proposed intended use, and their conclusion that its benefits as a primary non-invasive screening option outweigh any potential risks,” according to the release.
The US FDA itself will decide on approval later this year.
If approved, the opportunity could get explosive.
As noted by CNN, “If Shield receives FDA approval, it will be the first approved blood screening test for colorectal cancer that meets requirements for Medicare reimbursement, said Dr. Craig Eagle, chief medical officer at Guardant Health.”
“Current options for colorectal cancer screening for people at average risk include a stool-based test done either annually or every three years; a traditional colonoscopy every 10 years; a virtual colonoscopy every five years; or a sigmoidoscopy procedure, which involves using a tube-like instrument called an endoscope to examine the lower part of the colon.”
