How can liquid biopsy go from hot business model to actual practice?

The many companies seeking to diagnose early-stage cancer from a blood draw have raised billions of dollars and made almost as many promises in the process. But before these so-called liquid biopsies become widely used, scientists want answers to some weighty questions.

As STAT’s Shraddha Chakradhar explains, companies in the liquid biopsy space hope that one day, such tests will be as routine as cholesterol screens. In the meantime, however, they’re focused on reducing false positives, picking which cancers to target, and proving that early detection does in fact improve patient outcomes.

Then there’s the thornier business question: If liquid biopsy lives up to the hype, does the world really need this many companies invested in it?

Read more.