Cancer research, Oncology, Corporate, Product

Fast and reliable solutions for oncology workflows

At ESMO 2025, Illumina teams up with Pillar Biosciences to showcase their powerful combination of NGS tests

Fast and reliable solutions for oncology workflows
October 15, 2025

Illumina and Pillar Biosciences are preparing for an exciting week meeting with oncology and pharmaceutical professionals at the European Society for Medical Oncology (ESMO) Congress in Berlin, October 17-21. In 2025, ESMO is celebrating its 50th year supporting the advancement of oncology and its practitioners. Illumina and Pillar Biosciences are demonstrating their unique and powerful partnership in a shared space, where their in vitro diagnostic (IVD) tumor profiling and software solutions will be on display.

Illumina TruSight Oncology (TSO) Comprehensive is the first and only FDA-approved test offering a distributable comprehensive genomic profiling IVD kit with pan-cancer companion diagnostic (CDx) claims, evaluating both DNA and RNA. This enables clinicians to better match cancer patients with targeted therapies or clinical trials. The Pillar oncoReveal CDx IVD kit is the newest panel to deliver critical companion diagnostic claims and solid tumor profiling using the Illumina MiSeq Dx System.

The goal is to provide oncologists with genomic profiling answers faster. Enabling health care systems to test samples locally—or even bring tumor profiling in-house—shortens the turnaround time from sample to report. This turnaround time is crucial, since oncologists can have answers within a few days and begin the patient on a targeted therapy or trial, if available, and potentially avoid chemotherapy or radiation.

“It’s an exceptional combination of offerings,” says Bas Verhoef, Illumina’s head of region for Europe. “Together, both companies are helping multiple geographies access simple, fast, reliable technologies for therapy selection and clinical research. We’re thrilled to show that Illumina is the partner of choice for oncology workflows and highlight our partnership with Pillar Biosciences in providing genomic solutions for labs, both large and small.”

“Our panels are complementary,” adds Dan Harma, chief commercial officer of Pillar Biosciences. “It’s the best of both worlds. Oncologists can either lead with the comprehensive genomic profiling and follow up with a targeted panel or start with the targeted panel and then reflex to CGP if additional insights are needed.”

The IVD and CDx solutions can be deployed in smaller countries and regions, but they can also be scaled globally. “We hear from a lot of our pharma partners that they really want to have localized testing for their clinical trials and potentially for companion diagnostics, especially with liquid biopsy,” Harma says. “It’s difficult to transport samples across borders. So having the option for localized testing for NGS meets their needs.”

Last year, Pillar announced a partnership with AstraZeneca to increase access to liquid biopsy testing, starting in European markets and the United Kingdom.

Illumina serves customers in 165 countries worldwide and is committed to increasing access to NGS in every type and size of lab.

“A cancer diagnosis commences a journey that requires many people to be all in—patient, families, physicians, specialists, caregivers, and more,” Verhoef says. “Similarly, our partnership with Pillar was built on a shared mission and a singular belief in bringing together exceptional solutions to fight this cruel and devastating disease.”

Visit Illumina and Pillar at ESMO: Booth 3023 in Hall 3.2b of Messe Berlin.

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