Companion diagnostics and assays
Cut-offs gate every biomarker-selected drug: PD-L1 CPS 10, HER2 IHC 1+ or 2+, MSI-high, TMB 10 and the rest. 38 assays (35 FDA companion diagnostics) with vendor, platform, analyte, the exact threshold, the products and cancers they gate, and the tumour-board biomarker they correspond to.
| Analyte | Cut-off that gates therapy | Gates | Cancers | Target dossier | Tumour-board biomarker | Source | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| IDH1 R132 mutations (C, G, H, L, S) | Mutation detected (ivosidenib, AML) | Ivosidenib | Acute myeloid leukaemia | IDH1 / IDH2 | 2018 | IDH1 / IDH2 mutation | FDA CDx list | |||
| IDH2 R140 and R172 mutations | Mutation detected (enasidenib, AML) | Enasidenib | Acute myeloid leukaemia | IDH1 / IDH2 | 2017 | IDH1 / IDH2 mutation | FDA CDx list | |||
| Circulating tumour DNA: 109 genes | KRAS G12C detected (adagrasib, NSCLC) | Adagrasib | Non-small-cell lung cancer | KRAS | 2022 | KRAS G12C | FDA CDx list | |||
BRACAnalysis CDx Myriad Genetics The first companion diagnostic for a PARP inhibitor (olaparib, December 2014) and the first germline companion diagnostic. | Germline BRCA1 and BRCA2 sequence and large rearrangements | Deleterious or suspected deleterious germline variant | Olaparib, Talazoparib, Rucaparib, Niraparib | Ovarian cancer, HR-positive / HER2-negative breast cancer, Triple-negative breast cancer, Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma, Prostate cancer | BRCA1 / BRCA2, PARP | 2014 | Germline BRCA1/2 (or PALB2) | FDA CDx list | ||
| BRAF V600E (and cross-reactive V600K/D) | V600 mutation detected | Vemurafenib, Cobimetinib | Melanoma | BRAF | 2011 | BRAF V600E | FDA CDx list | |||
cobas EGFR Mutation Test v2 Roche Molecular Systems The plasma claim (2016) made it the first FDA-approved liquid biopsy companion diagnostic. | EGFR exon 19 deletions, L858R, T790M and other exon 18 to 21 mutations (tissue and plasma) | Mutation detected (qualitative); plasma negative result should be reflexed to tissue | Erlotinib, Gefitinib, Osimertinib | Non-small-cell lung cancer | EGFR | 2013 | EGFR activating mutation (ex19del / L858R) | FDA CDx list | ||
EGFR pharmDx Agilent (Dako) A historical example of a companion diagnostic that did not predict benefit: EGFR IHC was dropped from practice once RAS status proved to be the real selector. | EGFR protein | Any EGFR membrane staining (historic requirement for cetuximab and panitumumab in colorectal cancer) | Cetuximab, Panitumumab | Colorectal cancer, Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma | EGFR | 2004 | none | FDA CDx list | ||
FoundationFocus CDxBRCA Foundation Medicine The first NGS-based companion diagnostic approved by the FDA. | Tumour BRCA1/2 (somatic and germline) sequence alterations | Deleterious BRCA1/2 alteration (rucaparib, ovarian cancer) | Rucaparib | Ovarian cancer | BRCA1 / BRCA2, PARP | 2016 | Germline BRCA1/2 (or PALB2); HRD positive (genomic scar) | FDA CDx list | ||
FoundationOne CDx Foundation Medicine (Roche) The first pan-tumour NGS companion diagnostic (November 2017); most new targeted-therapy approvals add a claim to it rather than launch a single-gene kit. | 324 genes: mutations, copy number, selected fusions; MSI and TMB | Per companion claim: EGFR, ALK, BRAF V600, ERBB2 amplification, KRAS wild-type, BRCA1/2 and HRR genes, PIK3CA, MET exon 14, RET, FGFR2 fusions, IDH1, NTRK fusions; MSI-high; TMB at least 10 mutations per megabase | Osimertinib, Alectinib, Dabrafenib + trametinib, Trastuzumab, Cetuximab, Olaparib, Rucaparib, Talazoparib, Alpelisib, Capmatinib & tepotinib, Selpercatinib, Pemigatinib, Ivosidenib, Larotrectinib, Pembrolizumab | Non-small-cell lung cancer, Melanoma, HER2-positive breast cancer, Colorectal cancer, Ovarian cancer, Prostate cancer, HR-positive / HER2-negative breast cancer, Biliary tract cancer, Thyroid cancer | EGFR, ALK, BRAF, HER2, KRAS, BRCA1 / BRCA2, PARP, PIK3CA / PI3K-alpha, MET, RET, FGFR2, IDH1 / IDH2, NTRK, PD-1 | 2017 | EGFR activating mutation (ex19del / L858R); ALK fusion; BRAF V600E; HER2 IHC 3+ / amplified; KRAS G12C; Germline BRCA1/2 (or PALB2); HRD positive (genomic scar); PIK3CA mutation; MET exon 14 skipping or amplification / c-MET overexpression; RET fusion or mutation; FGFR2 fusion (or FGFR3 alteration); IDH1 / IDH2 mutation; NTRK fusion; TMB ≥ 10 mut/Mb; MSI-high / dMMR | FDA CDx list | ||
FoundationOne Liquid CDx Foundation Medicine (Roche) Per companion claim: EGFR (osimertinib, erlotinib, gefitinib), ALK (alectinib), BRCA1/2 and ATM (olaparib, rucaparib), PIK3CA (alpelisib), FGFR3 (erdafitinib), NTRK and RET; negative plasma results reflex to tissue | Circulating tumour DNA: more than 300 genes | Per companion claim: EGFR (osimertinib, erlotinib, gefitinib), ALK (alectinib), BRCA1/2 and ATM (olaparib, rucaparib), PIK3CA (alpelisib), FGFR3 (erdafitinib), NTRK and RET; negative plasma results reflex to tissue | Osimertinib, Alectinib, Olaparib, Rucaparib, Alpelisib, Erdafitinib | Non-small-cell lung cancer, Prostate cancer, Ovarian cancer, HR-positive / HER2-negative breast cancer, Bladder & urothelial cancer | EGFR, ALK, BRCA1 / BRCA2, PIK3CA / PI3K-alpha, FGFR2, NTRK, RET | 2020 | EGFR activating mutation (ex19del / L858R); ALK fusion; Germline BRCA1/2 (or PALB2); PIK3CA mutation; FGFR2 fusion (or FGFR3 alteration) | FDA CDx list | ||
Guardant360 CDx Guardant Health The first FDA-approved liquid NGS companion diagnostic (August 2020); the ESR1 claim (2023) made ctDNA the standard route to elacestrant eligibility. | Circulating tumour DNA: 55 to 74 genes | Per companion claim: EGFR (osimertinib), EGFR exon 20 insertions (amivantamab), KRAS G12C (sotorasib), ESR1 mutations (elacestrant), ERBB2 mutations (zongertinib); negative plasma reflexes to tissue | Osimertinib, Amivantamab, Sotorasib, Elacestrant, Zongertinib | Non-small-cell lung cancer, HR-positive / HER2-negative breast cancer | EGFR, KRAS, Estrogen receptor, HER2 | 2020 | EGFR activating mutation (ex19del / L858R); EGFR exon 20 insertion; KRAS G12C; ESR1 mutation (ctDNA) | FDA CDx list | ||
HER2 IQFISH pharmDx and INFORM HER2 Dual ISH Agilent; Roche Diagnostics Resolves IHC 2+ cases; the ASCO/CAP groups 2 to 4 (unusual ratio and copy-number combinations) are where results differ between laboratories. | ERBB2 gene copy number | HER2/CEP17 ratio at least 2.0, or ratio below 2.0 with average HER2 copy number at least 6.0 (ASCO/CAP 2018) | Trastuzumab, Pertuzumab, Trastuzumab emtansine | HER2-positive breast cancer, Gastric & gastro-oesophageal junction cancer | HER2 | none | HER2 IHC 3+ / amplified | FDA CDx list | ||
HercepTest Agilent (Dako) The first companion diagnostic (with trastuzumab, 1998). Its scoring scale was built to find amplification; the HER2-low and ultralow claims added in 2022 and 2025 stretch it to the bottom of the range, where reproducibility is weakest. | HER2 protein | IHC 3+ (or 2+ confirmed by ISH) for trastuzumab; IHC 1+ or 2+/ISH-negative (HER2-low) for trastuzumab deruxtecan; IHC 0 with faint membrane staining (HER2-ultralow) for trastuzumab deruxtecan in HR-positive breast cancer | Trastuzumab, Pertuzumab, Trastuzumab emtansine, Trastuzumab deruxtecan, Tucatinib | HER2-positive breast cancer, HR-positive / HER2-negative breast cancer, Gastric & gastro-oesophageal junction cancer | HER2 | 1998 | HER2 IHC 3+ / amplified; HER2-low (IHC 1+ or 2+/ISH−); HER2-ultralow (IHC 0 with faint staining) | FDA CDx list | ||
Ki-67 IHC (MIB-1) Multiple (Agilent, Roche, Leica) Ki-67 scoring varies by antibody, hotspot versus global counting and laboratory; the International Ki-67 Working Group validated only the extremes (below 5%, above 30%). | Ki-67 proliferation index | At least 20% (monarchE high-risk cohort; the abemaciclib label's Ki-67 requirement was removed in 2023) | Abemaciclib | HR-positive / HER2-negative breast cancer | CDK4/6 | 2021 | ER positive | FDA CDx list | ||
LeukoStrat CDx FLT3 Mutation Assay Invivoscribe The signal ratio cut-off, not simply presence, defines eligibility, and the ratio also carries prognostic weight in ELN risk classification. | FLT3 internal tandem duplication and D835/I836 tyrosine-kinase-domain mutations | ITD signal ratio at least 0.05 or TKD mutation detected (midostaurin, gilteritinib); ITD only for quizartinib | Midostaurin, Gilteritinib, Quizartinib | Acute myeloid leukaemia | FLT3 | 2017 | none | FDA CDx list | ||
MSI by PCR (Promega MSI Analysis System and equivalents) Promega and others Pembrolizumab's 2017 tumour-agnostic approval for MSI-high or dMMR cancer was granted without a named companion device; IHC, PCR and NGS are all accepted in practice. | Microsatellite instability at five mononucleotide markers | Instability at two or more of five markers (MSI-high); NGS panels report MSI from hundreds of loci | Pembrolizumab, Nivolumab, Ipilimumab, Dostarlimab | Colorectal cancer, Endometrial cancer, Gastric & gastro-oesophageal junction cancer | PD-1, CTLA-4 | none | MSI-high / dMMR; Lynch syndrome (germline MMR) | Le et al., NEJM 2015 | ||
myChoice CDx Myriad Genetics A scar assay: it records past homologous-recombination deficiency and stays positive after reversion restores repair. | Tumour BRCA1/2 status plus genomic instability score (loss of heterozygosity, telomeric allelic imbalance, large-scale state transitions) | Genomic instability score at least 42, or BRCA1/2 mutation, defines HRD-positive (olaparib plus bevacizumab, PAOLA-1; niraparib) | Olaparib, Niraparib, Bevacizumab | Ovarian cancer | BRCA1 / BRCA2, PARP | 2019 | HRD positive (genomic scar); Germline BRCA1/2 (or PALB2) | FDA CDx list | ||
Oncomine Dx Target Test Thermo Fisher Scientific Runs on small biopsies with both DNA and RNA, which is why it carries fusion claims. | 23 genes (DNA and RNA) in NSCLC | Per companion claim: BRAF V600E (dabrafenib plus trametinib), ROS1 fusions (crizotinib), EGFR (gefitinib), RET fusions (pralsetinib), MET exon 14 (tepotinib), EGFR exon 20 insertions | Dabrafenib + trametinib, Crizotinib, Gefitinib, Pralsetinib, Capmatinib & tepotinib | Non-small-cell lung cancer | BRAF, ROS1, EGFR, RET, MET | 2017 | BRAF V600E; EGFR activating mutation (ex19del / L858R); RET fusion or mutation; MET exon 14 skipping or amplification / c-MET overexpression; EGFR exon 20 insertion | FDA CDx list | ||
Oncotype DX Breast Recurrence Score Exact Sciences Not an FDA companion diagnostic; a laboratory-developed test whose cut-offs were set prospectively by randomised trials. | 21-gene RT-PCR signature | Recurrence score 0 to 25 (postmenopausal, node-negative or 1 to 3 nodes): chemotherapy can be omitted (TAILORx, RxPONDER); premenopausal 16 to 25: benefit from chemotherapy | Oncotype DX, Tamoxifen, Letrozole | HR-positive / HER2-negative breast cancer | Estrogen receptor | none | ER positive | TAILORx, NEJM 2018 | ||
PATHWAY anti-HER2/neu (4B5) Roche Diagnostics IHC 3+ (HER2-positive); IHC 1+ or 2+/ISH-negative (HER2-low) for trastuzumab deruxtecan; IHC 3+ solid tumours for tumour-agnostic trastuzumab deruxtecan | HER2 protein | IHC 3+ (HER2-positive); IHC 1+ or 2+/ISH-negative (HER2-low) for trastuzumab deruxtecan; IHC 3+ solid tumours for tumour-agnostic trastuzumab deruxtecan | Trastuzumab, Trastuzumab deruxtecan, Trastuzumab emtansine | HER2-positive breast cancer, HR-positive / HER2-negative breast cancer, Gastric & gastro-oesophageal junction cancer, Colorectal cancer | HER2 | none | HER2 IHC 3+ / amplified; HER2-low (IHC 1+ or 2+/ISH−) | FDA CDx list | ||
PD-L1 IHC 22C3 pharmDx Agilent (Dako) The first PD-L1 companion diagnostic, approved with pembrolizumab in second-line NSCLC in October 2015; the scoring system (TPS then CPS) grew indication by indication. | PD-L1 protein (tumour and immune cells) | TPS at least 1% or at least 50% (NSCLC); CPS at least 1 (head and neck, oesophageal, gastric); CPS at least 10 (TNBC, gastric first line); CPS at least 1 (cervical) | Pembrolizumab | Non-small-cell lung cancer, Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma, Oesophageal cancer, Gastric & gastro-oesophageal junction cancer, Triple-negative breast cancer, Cervical cancer, Bladder & urothelial cancer | PD-L1, PD-1 | 2015 | PD-L1 CPS ≥ 10 (22C3); PD-L1 TPS ≥ 50% (lung) | FDA CDx list | ||
PD-L1 IHC 28-8 pharmDx Agilent (Dako) Originally a complementary (not required) test with nivolumab; became a companion diagnostic for the CheckMate 227 combination. | PD-L1 protein (tumour-cell scoring) | TC at least 1% (nivolumab plus ipilimumab, first-line NSCLC) | Nivolumab, Ipilimumab | Non-small-cell lung cancer, Melanoma | PD-L1, PD-1 | 2020 | PD-L1 TPS ≥ 50% (lung) | FDA CDx list | ||
PSMA PET (Ga-68 PSMA-11, F-18 piflufolastat, F-18 flotufolastat) Novartis, Lantheus, Blue Earth Diagnostics Ga-68 PSMA-11 is the first imaging agent listed by the FDA as a companion diagnostic; PSMAfore later relaxed the VISION exclusion rules. | PSMA expression on PET | At least one PSMA-positive lesion and no dominant PSMA-negative lesion (VISION criteria) for lutetium-177 PSMA-617 | Lutetium-177 vipivotide tetraxetan, Gallium-68 gozetotide, Piflufolastat F-18 / Pylarify TruVu, Flotufolastat F-18 | Prostate cancer | PSMA | 2022 | PSMA PET positive | FDA CDx list | ||
Signatera (tumour-informed ctDNA MRD) Natera Medicare-covered as a laboratory-developed test; the first assay to select adjuvant immunotherapy by molecular residual disease in a positive phase 3 trial. | 16 patient-specific somatic variants tracked in plasma | Two or more variants detected above the assay threshold defines ctDNA-positive (IMvigor011: adjuvant atezolizumab for ctDNA-positive bladder cancer) | Signatera, Atezolizumab | Bladder & urothelial cancer, Colorectal cancer, HR-positive / HER2-negative breast cancer | PD-L1 | none | ctDNA MRD positive after curative treatment | FDA CDx list | ||
therascreen BRAF V600E RGQ PCR Kit QIAGEN V600E detected (colorectal cancer, encorafenib plus cetuximab) | BRAF V600E | V600E detected (colorectal cancer, encorafenib plus cetuximab) | Encorafenib, Cetuximab | Colorectal cancer | BRAF, EGFR | 2020 | BRAF V600E | FDA CDx list | ||
| EGFR exon 19 deletions, L858R, T790M, G719X, S768I, L861Q, exon 20 insertions | Mutation detected (qualitative) | Afatinib, Gefitinib, Dacomitinib | Non-small-cell lung cancer | EGFR | 2013 | EGFR activating mutation (ex19del / L858R); EGFR exon 20 insertion | FDA CDx list | |||
| FGFR3 point mutations (R248C, S249C, G370C, Y373C) and FGFR2/FGFR3 fusions | Alteration detected (erdafitinib, urothelial carcinoma) | Erdafitinib | Bladder & urothelial cancer | FGFR2 | 2019 | FGFR2 fusion (or FGFR3 alteration) | FDA CDx list | |||
therascreen KRAS RGQ PCR Kit QIAGEN Started life as a negative selector (no anti-EGFR antibody if KRAS mutant) and became a positive selector for the G12C inhibitors in 2021 and 2022. | KRAS codon 12, 13 and 61 mutations including G12C | Wild-type required for cetuximab or panitumumab (colorectal); G12C detected for sotorasib and adagrasib (NSCLC) | Cetuximab, Panitumumab, Sotorasib, Adagrasib | Colorectal cancer, Non-small-cell lung cancer | KRAS, EGFR | 2012 | KRAS G12C; KRAS G12D (or other non-G12C KRAS) | FDA CDx list | ||
therascreen PIK3CA RGQ PCR Kit QIAGEN Mutation detected (alpelisib plus fulvestrant); plasma negative reflexes to tissue | 11 PIK3CA mutations in exons 7, 9 and 20 (tissue or plasma) | Mutation detected (alpelisib plus fulvestrant); plasma negative reflexes to tissue | Alpelisib | HR-positive / HER2-negative breast cancer | PIK3CA / PI3K-alpha | 2019 | PIK3CA mutation | FDA CDx list | ||
| BRAF V600E and V600K | V600E or V600K detected | Dabrafenib + trametinib | Melanoma | BRAF | 2013 | BRAF V600E | FDA CDx list | |||
Tumour mutational burden (FoundationOne CDx and equivalents) Foundation Medicine and others Panel size, germline filtering and the mutation types counted all shift the number; the Friends of Cancer Research TMB harmonisation project exists because 10 on one panel is not 10 on another. | Non-synonymous mutations per megabase across the panel | At least 10 mutations per megabase (pembrolizumab, tumour-agnostic, KEYNOTE-158) | Pembrolizumab | Melanoma, Non-small-cell lung cancer, Bladder & urothelial cancer, Endometrial cancer | PD-1 | 2020 | TMB ≥ 10 mut/Mb | FDA CDx list | ||
VENTANA ALK (D5F3) CDx Assay Roche Diagnostics Cheaper and faster than FISH; became the routine screening method in most pathology departments. | ALK protein (surrogate for rearrangement) | Binary: strong granular cytoplasmic staining in any tumour cells is positive | Crizotinib, Alectinib, Brigatinib, Lorlatinib, Ceritinib | Non-small-cell lung cancer | ALK | 2015 | ALK fusion | FDA CDx list | ||
VENTANA CLDN18 (43-14A) RxDx Assay Roche Diagnostics The antibody detects CLDN18 regardless of isoform; specificity for 18.2 relies on 18.1 being absent from stomach. | Claudin 18 protein (isoform 18.2 in gastric epithelium) | At least 75% of tumour cells with moderate-to-strong membranous staining (zolbetuximab, gastric and gastro-oesophageal junction adenocarcinoma) | Zolbetuximab | Gastric & gastro-oesophageal junction cancer, Oesophageal cancer | Claudin 18.2 | 2024 | Claudin 18.2 positive (≥75% moderate-strong) | FDA CDx list | ||
VENTANA FOLR1 (FOLR1-2.1) RxDx Assay Roche Diagnostics At least 75% of viable tumour cells with membrane staining of at least 2+ intensity (mirvetuximab soravtansine, ovarian cancer) | Folate receptor alpha protein | At least 75% of viable tumour cells with membrane staining of at least 2+ intensity (mirvetuximab soravtansine, ovarian cancer) | Mirvetuximab soravtansine | Ovarian cancer | Folate receptor alpha | 2022 | Folate receptor α high (≥75% 2+/3+) | FDA CDx list | ||
VENTANA MMR RxDx Panel Roche Diagnostics Loss of nuclear expression of any mismatch-repair protein in tumour cells (dostarlimab, endometrial cancer) | MLH1, PMS2, MSH2 and MSH6 protein expression | Loss of nuclear expression of any mismatch-repair protein in tumour cells (dostarlimab, endometrial cancer) | Dostarlimab, Pembrolizumab | Endometrial cancer, Colorectal cancer | PD-1 | 2021 | MSI-high / dMMR; Lynch syndrome (germline MMR) | FDA CDx list | ||
VENTANA PD-L1 (SP142) Assay Roche Diagnostics Stains fewer tumour cells than 22C3 or 28-8 (Blueprint studies), so its results are not interchangeable with the other PD-L1 assays. | PD-L1 protein (immune-cell and tumour-cell scoring) | IC at least 5% (urothelial, historic); IC at least 1% (TNBC, indication later withdrawn); TC at least 50% or IC at least 10% (NSCLC) | Atezolizumab | Bladder & urothelial cancer, Triple-negative breast cancer, Non-small-cell lung cancer | PD-L1 | 2016 | PD-L1 CPS ≥ 10 (22C3) | FDA CDx list | ||
VENTANA PD-L1 (SP263) Assay Roche Diagnostics Concordant with 22C3 for tumour-cell scoring in the Blueprint comparison; carries companion claims for several PD-1/PD-L1 antibodies in NSCLC. | PD-L1 protein (tumour-cell scoring) | TC at least 1% (durvalumab after chemoradiotherapy, NSCLC; PACIFIC-derived) | Durvalumab, Pembrolizumab, Atezolizumab | Non-small-cell lung cancer | PD-L1 | none | PD-L1 TPS ≥ 50% (lung) | FDA CDx list | ||
Vysis ALK Break Apart FISH Probe Kit Abbott Molecular Approved alongside crizotinib in 2011, the first drug-diagnostic co-approval in lung cancer. | ALK rearrangement | At least 15% of tumour cells with split or isolated 3' signals (at least 50 cells scored) | Crizotinib, Brigatinib, Alectinib | Non-small-cell lung cancer | ALK | 2011 | ALK fusion | FDA CDx list |
Tick the biomarkers a report shows on the tumour board to see matched options; see how common each target is per cancer on the prevalence matrix.
The same analyte gates different drugs at different thresholds (PD-L1 TPS 1% versus 50%; HER2 3+ versus low). A positive result on one assay is not a positive result on another; SP142 and 22C3 are the classic example.
The FDA list of cleared or approved companion diagnostic devices is the reference for every FDA CDx row; cut-offs are quoted from labels and trials. Corrections welcome via suggest an edit.