Bionano Genomics Inc. (NASDAQ: BNGO) announced publication of a study in Modern Pathology showing its optical genome mapping technology detected genomic abnormalities in 97.8% of T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia cases, compared to 55% detection by conventional cytogenetic analysis.

The study examined 91 T-ALL cases using three different analysis methods: optical genome mapping, conventional karyotyping and next-generation sequencing. Researchers from The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center and Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine conducted the analysis.

The optical genome mapping technology provided additional genomic insights beyond standard methods in approximately 70% of cases. The technology detected gene rearrangements in 80% of cases, including 24 known recurrent fusions and 21 newly identified fusions.

Copy number changes were identified in 93% of cases using optical genome mapping, while next-generation sequencing detected sequence variants in 92% of cases. The NOTCH1 gene showed variants in 57% of cases, making it the most frequently affected gene.

T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia is an aggressive form of blood cancer affecting both children and adults. The disease involves complex genetic changes that are often difficult to detect using traditional analysis methods.

"This study demonstrates the complementarity that OGM and NGS can provide and shows how OGM can be particularly well-suited to T-ALL's unique challenges," said Alka Chaubey, chief medical officer of Bionano.

The research represents one of the largest optical genome mapping studies of T-ALL conducted to date, according to the company's statement based on the press release.