On March 18, 2026 Guardant Health, Inc. (Nasdaq: GH), a leading precision oncology company, reported the company and its research collaborators will present 28 abstracts, including 3 oral sessions, showcasing advances in methylation-based tumor classification and liquid biopsy technology at the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) (Free AACR Whitepaper) Annual Meeting in San Diego, California taking place April 17 – 22, 2026.

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Key data that will be presented include:

An oral presentation of research data showing high accuracy of Guardant360 Tissue in determining tissue of origin with strong performance in cancers of unknown primary, correctly identifying the likely origin in approximately 92% of known cases across more than 6,000 tissue samples and 24 tumor types and supporting the clinical utility of methylation-based tumor typing for tissue samples in diagnostically challenging settings.
An oral presentation showcasing the expanded utility of Guardant360 Liquid beyond basic genomic testing, highlighting the strength of its novel epigenomic features in increasing clinical actionability. Researchers found that Guardant360 Liquid demonstrated actionable findings for 85% of metastatic breast cancer patients and 89% of patients with advanced colorectal cancer.
A real-world analysis evaluating the utility of Guardant Reveal to identify new primary malignancies during minimal residual disease (MRD) monitoring, demonstrating the potential to detect separate primary cancers in patients over time with non-invasive, liquid biopsy technology.
Additional research bolstering the potential of Guardant360 Tissue in expanding access to targeted treatment options showing that a tissue-based genomic instability score (GIS) can accurately detect DNA repair deficiencies in breast, ovarian, and pancreatic cancers and accurately identifying patients who may benefit from PARP inhibitors.
"The breadth of the data Guardant will be presenting demonstrate the power of our blood- and tissue-based tests in helping address critical gaps across cancer care," said Dr. Craig Eagle, Chief Medical Officer at Guardant Health. "From identifying cancers of unknown primary and detecting new malignancies in tandem with MRD monitoring to expanding treatment options for more cancers, we are eager to present these findings along with our research collaborators at the AACR (Free AACR Whitepaper) meeting and proud to offer innovative tests that are meeting today’s most complex challenges in cancer care."

Key Guardant Health and collaborator presentations at AACR (Free AACR Whitepaper) 2026

Presentation

Title

Time / Location

Monday, April 19

1316

A methylation-based molecular tumor typing classifier for tissue samples from cancers of unknown primary

April 19, 2026 / 3:00 PM – 5:00 PM PT

Tuesday, April 20

4016

Tissue-based homologous recombination deficiency status prediction in patients with breast, ovarian, and pancreatic cancers

April 20, 2026 / 2:30 PM – 4:30 PM PT

2279

DNA methylation-based classifier predicts SERD benefit in ESR1 wild-type HR+/HER2- breast cancer

April 20, 2026 / 9:00 AM – 12:00 PM PT

Poster hall / Section 34

Wednesday, April 21

6512

Exploring clinical actionability of expanded liquid biopsy in advanced breast and colorectal cancers

April 21, 2026 / 2:00 PM – 5:00 PM PT

Poster Section 43

6512

Evaluating molecular tumor type predictions for identifying new primary malignancies – A real-world clinical genomics analysis

April 21, 2026 / 2:00 PM – 5:00 PM PT

Poster Section 43

CT230

STRIDE regimen of tremelimumab and durvalumab as non-operative management strategy of MSI-H resectable gastric or gastroesophageal junction adenocarcinoma (GAC/GEJAC): final results of the cohort 2 of INFINITY study by GONO GI

April 21, 2026 / 10:15 AM – 12:15 PM PT

The full abstracts for Guardant Health and a list of all abstracts being presented at the AACR (Free AACR Whitepaper) Annual Meeting can be found here.

About Guardant360

Guardant360 Liquid is a blood-based test that analyzes tumor DNA fragments circulating in the blood (cfDNA) to identify genetic mutations in advanced solid tumors, helping oncologists find targeted therapies. It offers an alternative to tissue biopsies, providing comprehensive genomic profiling (CGP) to guide personalized treatment for a wide range of solid cancers including lung, breast, colorectal, and prostate cancer. Guardant360 Liquid is guideline-complete across all advanced solid tumors, and has been clinically validated in more than 1,500 publications and research abstracts.

About Guardant Reveal

Guardant Reveal is a tissue-free liquid biopsy test that detects minimal residual disease (MRD) and monitors recurrence in early-stage colorectal, breast, and lung cancers, helping oncologists guide treatment decisions. In addition to MRD detection, Reveal can be used for late-stage therapy response monitoring for patients with solid tumors. Guardant Reveal therapy response monitoring can be initiated at any time during a patient’s treatment journey, offering clinicians flexibility and actionable insights.

The first clinical-validation study of pan-cancer chemotherapy monitoring published in The Journal of Liquid Biopsy showed that Guardant Reveal predicts long-term patient benefit up to 18 months earlier than standard clinical measures.

(Press release, Guardant Health, MAR 18, 2026, View Source [SID1234663721])

On March 18, 2026 Leveragen, a Boston-based biotechnology company developing next-generation in vivo platforms for antibody discovery, reported a collaboration agreement with Daiichi Sankyo (TSE: 4568) to support research efforts in advanced biologics.

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Under the collaboration, Daiichi Sankyo will work with Leveragen to apply Leveragen’s in vivo antibody discovery capabilities in support of selected research programs. The collaboration reflects a shared interest in exploring innovative discovery approaches that may enable the generation and evaluation of antibody-based biologics across multiple therapeutic areas.

"We are pleased to collaborate with Daiichi Sankyo, a global leader in antibody therapeutics with deep scientific expertise and a strong commitment to innovation," said Dr. Weisheng Chen, Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Leveragen. "This collaboration reflects growing interest in next-generation in vivo discovery platforms and their potential to support diverse biologic research efforts. We look forward to working together to advance new discovery programs."

The collaboration further supports Leveragen’s strategy of working with leading pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies to apply its in vivo discovery platforms in early-stage research and preclinical development.

(Press release, Leveragen, MAR 18, 2026, https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260318034240/en/Leveragen-Announces-Collaboration-with-Daiichi-Sankyo-to-Support-Development-of-Advanced-Biologics-Using-Next-Gen-In-Vivo-Antibody-Discovery-Platforms [SID1234663720])

On March 18, 2026 Crossbow Therapeutics, Inc., a biotechnology company developing a novel class of potent and precise antibody therapies to treat a broad range of cancers, reported it has raised $77 million in a Series B financing that will support the completion of the CROSSCHECK-001 Phase 1 clinical trial of the company’s lead program, CBX-250, and accelerate development of additional T-Bolt immunotherapies designed to extend the reach of antibody therapy across a broad range of cancers.

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This Series B financing was co-led by Taiho Ventures and Arkin Bio Capital, with participation from new investors Sixty Degree Capital, Hamilton Square Partners Management LP, LifeLink Ventures, Libbs Ventures, and Blood Cancer United’s Therapy Acceleration Program (TAP), as well as existing investors MPM BioImpact, Pfizer Ventures, BVF Partners, Polaris Partners, Eli Lilly and Company, and Mirae Asset Venture Investment. As part of the financing, Sakae Asanuma, President & CEO of Taiho Ventures, and Pini Orbach, Managing Partner of Arkin Bio Capital, have joined Crossbow’s Board of Directors.

Crossbow is developing a broad portfolio of novel T-cell engager (TCE) therapies that potently target peptide human leukocyte antigen (pHLA) on cancer cells, using antibodies that mimic T-cell receptors (TCR-mimetics). These investigational products, known as T-BoltTM molecules, can be adapted to address a broad range of malignancies, potentially targeting the entire universe of cancer proteins.

"This financing not only strengthens our ability to advance CBX-250 through clinical development but also accelerates our mission to bring next-generation TCR-mimetic immunotherapies to patients who urgently need new options," said Briggs Morrison, M.D., Chief Executive Officer of Crossbow Therapeutics. "We greatly appreciate our investors for sharing our conviction in the transformative potential of our T-BoltTM platform. We look forward to efficiently expanding our pipeline to address cancers that remain beyond the reach of today’s therapies."

The Series B financing will allow Crossbow to complete a Phase 1 clinical trial of CBX-250, Crossbow’s first-in-class TCE therapy, which targets a pHLA specific to myeloid cancer cells. The ongoing Phase 1 study (CROSSCHECK-001) is evaluating CBX-250 in patients with relapsed and refractory myeloid malignancies including acute myeloid leukemia (AML), chronic myeloid leukemia (CML), myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS), and chronic myelomonocytic leukemia (CMML). Initial clinical data from the CROSSCHECK-001 trial are expected around the end of 2026.

The financing will also enable submission of an Investigational New Drug (IND) application and initiation of a Phase 1 trial of CBX-663, a first-in-class TCE targeting a telomerase reverse transcriptase (TERT)-derived pHLA for the treatment of multiple hematologic and solid tumors. The initiation of the Phase 1 study evaluating CBX-663 is projected for Q3 2026.

Crossbow researchers will present preclinical findings for CBX-250 in myeloid malignancies as well as the characterization of CBX-663 in models of solid tumors at the upcoming American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) (Free AACR Whitepaper) 2026 Annual Meeting in San Diego, Calif., which takes place April 17-22, 2026.

"Crossbow’s arsenal of T-cell engagers represents a differentiated and promising approach to anti-cancer immunotherapy by addressing the wide variety of intra-cellular targets and broadens the potentials of TCE modality," commented Sakae Asanuma, President & CEO of Taiho Ventures and Crossbow board member. "The company’s experienced team and versatile platform position it to overcome the limitations of current treatments and deliver impact for patients in need. We are excited to continue supporting Crossbow as it advances its lead programs into the clinic."

(Press release, Crossbow Therapeutics, MAR 18, 2026, View Source [SID1234663719])

On March 18, 2026 Freenome, an early cancer detection company developing blood-based screening tests, reported initial development data for its investigational lung cancer screening test. The data demonstrate the potential of a multiomics approach that combines DNA methylation analysis and protein markers to detect lung cancer in high-risk individuals.

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Freenome investigators will present the data at next month’s AACR (Free AACR Whitepaper) Annual Meeting in San Diego. Poster presentation details:

Abstract Number: 1107
Title: Development and performance of a multiomics lung cancer screening blood test
Presenter: Ofer Shapira, Freenome director of computational biology
Session Title: Early Detection Biomarkers 1
Session Date and Time: Sunday, April 19, 2:00 PM – 5:00 PM PDT
For the study, an AI/ML classifier was trained on tissue (n=136) and plasma (n=6,716) samples. The test’s accuracy was evaluated in 673 plasma samples, including 363 lung cancer cases across all stages and 310 cancer-negative controls, from individuals matching the intended screening population (adults aged 50-80 with high-risk smoking history).

In this cohort, Freenome’s proprietary multiomics platform — using base-resolution methylation sequencing of circulating cell-free DNA (cfDNA) and plasma protein immunoassays — achieved adjusted sensitivity* of 90.7% at 50% specificity and 80.4% at 75% specificity for detecting lung cancer. The multiomic approach outperformed a methylation-only version of the test, which showed adjusted sensitivities of 85.8% and 78.2% at the same specificity thresholds.

The multiomics test detected lung cancer across all three subtypes evaluated in this study (adenocarcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma and small-cell lung cancer) and across all disease stages, including an adjusted sensitivity of 77.1% at 50% specificity for Stage I cases.

"Less than 20% of eligible high-risk adults are currently screened for lung cancer, the leading cause of cancer death in the U.S.," said Jimmy Lin, M.D., Ph.D. MHS, chief scientific officer at Freenome. "A blood-based screening test could provide a more accessible option to increase screening participation. In this study, our multiomics approach demonstrated the potential of our test to detect lung cancer across stages and subtypes, and we’re encouraged as we continue to advance to a larger validation study in a previously unseen evaluation cohort."

Freenome is developing a flexible multi-cancer detection platform designed to support a personalized test offering tailored to each individual’s health status, risk factors and screening recommendations. Leveraging a single blood draw and a common assay, this approach utilizes machine and deep learning classifiers to optimize diagnostic accuracy across a diverse range of cancer types.

*Reported sensitivities are adjusted to address differences between the evaluation cohort and literature-reported distributions for stage and histological subtype

(Press release, Freenome, MAR 18, 2026, View Source [SID1234663718])

On March 18, 2026 Sapience Therapeutics, Inc., a clinical-stage biotechnology company focused on the discovery and development of peptide therapeutics to address oncogenic and immune dysregulation that drive cancer, reported three poster presentations at the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) (Free AACR Whitepaper) Annual Meeting 2026, taking place April 17-22, 2026, in San Diego, California. Sapience will present clinical and non-clinical results from ST316, a first-in-class antagonist of β-catenin, as well as results from its preclinical Fra1 antagonist peptide (FraAP) program, a first-in-class antagonist of the activator protein 1 (AP-1) complex.

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Poster Presentation Details:

Title: "ST316, a first in class β-catenin antagonist, demonstrates safety and efficacy in metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC)"
Session Title: Phase II and Phase III Clinical Trials
Location: Poster Section 52, Poster Board Number 20
Abstract Number: CT156
Date and Time: Monday, April 20, 2026, 2:00PM – 5:00PM PST

Title: "Antagonism of β-catenin/BCL9 interaction suppresses polymorphonuclear myeloid-derived suppressor cell generation and maintenance"
Session Title: Oncogenic Pathways and Cancer Immunity
Location: Poster Section 7, Poster Board Number 5
Abstract Number: 5562
Date and Time: Tuesday, April 21, 2026, 2:00PM – 5:00PM PST

Title: "Targeted antagonism of the activator protein 1 transcription factor complex results in potent anti-tumor activity in HNSCC models"
Session Title: Oncogenic Transcription Factors and Cancer Programs
Location: Poster Section 24, Poster Board Number 17
Abstract Number: 4767
Date and Time: Tuesday, April 21, 2026, 9:00AM – 12:00PM PST

More information can be found on the AACR (Free AACR Whitepaper) Annual Meeting 2026 website.

About ST316

ST316 is a first-in-class antagonist of the interaction between β-catenin and its co-activator, BCL9, a complex responsible for driving oncogene expression and immune exclusion in multiple cancers where aberrant Wnt/β-catenin pathway signaling is observed. Aberrant activation of the Wnt/β-catenin pathway is a critical driver of tumor progression and immune evasion in tumors including colorectal cancer (CRC). Targeting this pathway is challenging for multiple reasons including its role in normal tissue physiology. BCL9 is a co-activator essential for oncogenic β-catenin activity, but not its physiologic functions, highlighting the β-catenin/BCL9 interaction as a therapeutic target. ST316 was designed to selectively disrupt the β-catenin and BCL9/9L interaction, resulting in disruption of oncogenic Wnt/β-catenin transcriptional activity and potent antitumor activity, with no negative impact on intestinal or bone physiology.

ST316-101 (NCT05848739) is a first-in-human, open-label, Phase 1/2 dose escalation and expansion study designed to determine the safety, tolerability, PK, PD and early efficacy of ST316. The Phase 1 dose escalation portion of the study tested various dose levels of ST316 in patients with selected advanced solid tumors that are known to harbor abnormalities of the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway, including colorectal cancer (CRC). ST316 is currently being evaluated in the Phase 2 portion of the study in CRC patients in combination with relevant standards of care and in multiple lines of treatment. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has granted Orphan Drug Designation to ST316 for the treatment of familial adenomatous polyposis (FAP).

(Press release, Sapience Therapeutics, MAR 18, 2026, View Source [SID1234663717])