DELFI Diagnostics has announced the commercial availability of its new blood test, FirstLook Lung.

The blood test has been designed to determine the likelihood of identifying lung cancer through low-dose CT (LDCT), with a 99.7% negative predictive value.

Based on the science of fragmentomics, the test applies advanced machine learning technology to whole-genome sequencing data for the comparison of the cell-free DNA (cfDNA) patterns and characteristics of an individual against populations with and without cancer.

Using these data points, FirstLook Lung will detect individuals who may have lung cancer, including early-stage disease.

FirstLook Lung can also analyse cfDNA fragments that are markers of cancer present in the blood.

It detects most of the people who will have lung cancer identified by LDCT with high sensitivity, including those with early-stage disease.

This test offers clear data and precise results that will allow healthcare providers to determine the next step in the screening process.

DELFI founder and CEO Victor Velculescu said: “Cancer screening should be widely accessible and inexpensive to reach the millions of individuals who need it most.

“With the DELFI fragmentomics technology, we saw an opportunity to innovate beyond today's liquid biopsy approaches and create a completely new way of enhancing lung cancer screening rates.

“With only six per cent of eligible Americans currently getting screened for lung cancer every year, FirstLook Lung provides an important tool that can be incorporated into routine blood testing to help funnel the right patients to low-dose CT scans.”