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DermTech (DMTK) Announces Inclusion of Non-Invasive Genomic Patch Testing in NCCN Cutaneous Melanoma Guidelinesm (Earlier)

January 12, 2021 5:17 PM EST

DermTech, Inc. (NASDAQ: DMTK) (“DermTech”), a leader in precision dermatology enabled by a non-invasive skin genomics platform, announced today that non-invasive genomic patch testing for melanoma, like DermTech’s Pigmented Lesion Assay (“PLA”), has received a recommendation from the National Comprehensive Cancer Network® (“NCCN”). The recommendation indicates that there is uniform NCCN consensus that the intervention is appropriate. The NCCN Clinical Practice Guidelines in Oncology (the “NCCN Guidelines®”) for cutaneous melanoma recognize the use of noninvasive genomic patch testing to help guide biopsy decisions for cutaneous melanoma.

The NCCN Guidelines® are the recognized standard for clinical policy in cancer care and the most detailed clinical practice guidelines available in any area of medicine. The recommendation for pre-diagnostic non-invasive genomic patch testing can be found in the latest edition, NCCN Guidelines® Version 1.21, Melanoma: Cutaneous, section ME-11, Common Follow-Up Recommendations for All Patients. The updated guidance now states: “Pre-diagnostic noninvasive genomic patch testing may also be helpful to guide biopsy decisions.”

As a not-for-profit alliance of 30 leading cancer centers, the core resources made available by the NCCN are the NCCN Guidelines®. These guidelines are decision tools created by leading clinicians to explain a disease and help determine the best way to treat a patient, depending on their diagnosis, disease stage and other factors, such as age. The NCCN Guidelines® also help doctors make decisions, by explaining the pros and cons of each option.

“I laud the NCCN for recognizing the value of non-invasive genomic patch testing and including it in the current guidelines. This non-invasive genomic patch testing is a revolutionary change in the assessment of lesions suspicious for melanoma. Many commercial payors rely on guidelines from organizations such as NCCN as benchmarks for coverage decisions, and this NCCN recommendation indicates there is consensus that recognizes the value of the noninvasive genomic patch testing to guide biopsy decisions,” said Daniel M. Siegel, M.D., Clinical Professor of Dermatology at SUNY Downstate and former President of the American Academy of Dermatology. “We are thrilled that the NCCN Guidelines® recognize technology like DermTech’s as helpful in guiding biopsy decisions and foster earlier melanoma detection,” said Burkhard Jansen, M.D., chief medical officer of DermTech. “Using genomic information provides clinicians with data even expert eyes cannot see and benefits patients with skin lesions clinically suspicious for melanoma. This is a significant milestone for precision genomics, and further substantiates the utility of our DermTech melanoma test, the Pigmented Lesion Assay, or PLA.”

Covering 97 percent of all cancers affecting patients in the United States and updated on a continual basis, the NCCN Guidelines® are developed through explicit review of evidence (clinical trials, existing treatment protocol, etc.) integrated with expert medical judgment and recommendations by panels that are made up of representatives from the 30 NCCN Member Institutions.

There are currently 73 NCCN Guidelines® available free-of-charge that cover cancer detection, prevention and risk reduction, work-up and diagnosis, treatment and supportive care issues. To download the latest NCCN Guidelines®, please visit: https://www.nccn.org/professionals/physician_gls/default.aspx



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