Original from: Guardant Health

Shield is the first and only blood test to receive full FDA approval as a primary screening option for colorectal cancer in average-risk adults aged 45 and older. Through a multi-year agreement, Quest’s provider clients that order lab testing from Quest will be able to directly order Shield through their existing Quest account and electronic health record (EHR). Quest provided healthcare connectivity solutions to approximately 650,000 clinician and hospital accounts last year. Quest’s provider clients will also be able to refer patients to Quest’s 2,000 patient service centers and 6,000 in-office phlebotomists for blood draws in the United States. In addition, Quest’s national commercial sales team will proactively educate primary care physicians and obstetricians and gynecologists about the test, accelerating awareness among Quest’s ordering providers. Shield is expected to be available for physician order through Quest in the first quarter of 2026.

“Shield makes cancer screening pleasant and convenient, through just a simple blood draw. Our strategic collaboration with Quest represents a pivotal step in accelerating access to this groundbreaking technology, enabling primary care physicians across the country to offer their patients the lifesaving benefits of early detection,” said AmirAli Talasaz, Guardant Health co-CEO. “By rapidly scaling Shield’s lifesaving innovation through Quest’s nationwide network, we will strengthen our ability to fundamentally change the trajectory of the disease."

“This collaboration reinforces our commitment to expanding our oncology offering to include cutting-edge screening technology for diseases, like colorectal cancer, that can often be prevented when caught early,” Jim Davis, Chairman, CEO and President, Quest Diagnostics, said. “A blood-based test for colorectal cancer has the potential to reduce several barriers that prevent wider population screening. Our relationship with Guardant Health reflects the unique strength of Quest’s scale and ability to enable nationwide access to advanced diagnostics with the potential to greatly improve patient outcomes.”

Colorectal cancer is the second leading cause of cancer-related deaths in the U.S.1 The disease has a 91 percent five-year survival rate if caught in early stages.2 Yet, one out of three eligible adults in the U.S. -- over 50 million people -- do not complete the recommended screening, in part because they find the available options, colonoscopy and stool tests, unpleasant or inconvenient.3 With Shield, individuals can be screened with a simple blood draw, helping to detect cancer early, when it is more treatable. Shield is covered by Medicare and the Veterans Affairs Community Care Network, and is commercially available across the U.S.

Source: Guardant Health and Quest Diagnostics Announce Strategic Collaboration to Broaden Access to Guardant’s Shield™ Blood-based Screening Test in the United States