Helio Genomics is broadening access to its blood-based liver cancer test through Quest Diagnostics’ nationwide infrastructure. The move may support earlier adoption by integrating ordering into existing physician workflows while positioning the company to track utilization and reimbursement progress.
Helio Genomics announced its HelioLiver blood test for early detection of hepatocellular carcinoma is now available to healthcare providers through Quest Diagnostics’ U.S. network, a move that could accelerate commercial adoption by giving the company immediate national reach without building its own collection infrastructure from scratch. According to Helio’s March 18 announcement, providers with a Quest account can begin ordering the test starting in April through existing Quest accounts and electronic health record workflows.
A Potentially Major Commercialization Step
For investors, the agreement marks a potentially important commercialization step. Under the arrangement, Quest provider clients can access HelioLiver through their existing Quest account and EHR systems, while patients can use Quest’s approximately 7,700 patient service centers and in-office phlebotomists across the United States. Helio said it will continue to perform testing at its laboratory in West Lafayette, Indiana.
Helio Genomics CEO Bharat Tewarie said the partnership significantly compresses the company’s go-to-market timeline.
“This not only simplifies adoption for providers and enhances the overall practice experience by reducing administrative burden, but also improves the patient experience by making testing more convenient, familiar, and coordinated within the care settings they already trust.”
Tewarie said the setup is designed to reduce friction for physicians already using Quest for routine lab work. “And HelioLiver patients can visit any Quest location whenever and wherever it is convenient for them. This dramatically compresses what would otherwise have been a multi-year commercial infrastructure buildout,” he said.
About HelioLiver
HelioLiver is a blood-based test intended for surveillance of hepatocellular carcinoma, the most common form of primary liver cancer, in high-risk patients. Helio said the test combines cell-free DNA methylation patterns, protein biomarkers, and patient demographics using a proprietary AI algorithm, and is designed to fit into routine surveillance through a simple blood draw. The company said the test is aimed at improving early detection in patients such as those with cirrhosis or hepatitis B.
Tewarie said that the commercial opportunity is tied not only to the size of the at-risk population, but also to poor adherence with current ultrasound-based surveillance. He said current AASLD guidelines recommend surveillance every six months for patients with cirrhosis or chronic hepatitis B, representing a known addressable market, and added that including progressive metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis expands that population of patients.
Compliance and Patient Adoption
Of note, compliance remains a major unmet need in the market.
“We have seen this exact pattern play out before. When non-invasive alternatives like stool DNA testing were introduced for colorectal cancer screening, adherence jumped dramatically — because patients do not resist screening; they resist friction.”
Helio’s announcement similarly said many eligible adults skip recommended ultrasounds due to inconvenience, access barriers, and related issues. The company also said liver cancer incidence in the United States has tripled and mortality has doubled since 1980, while five-year survival can reach 70% when the disease is detected early.
Clinical Performance and Early Detection
On clinical performance, Tewarie pointed to data from Helio’s prospective CLiMB study, arguing that the test may offer an advantage over ultrasound in early-stage detection. “This is particularly meaningful because early-stage detection is where treatment options are most effective and five-year survival rates are highest,” he said.
Tewarie said investors should focus less on near-term revenue guidance and more on early signs of utilization. “We don’t guide on specific revenue timelines, but this new Quest structural setup addresses one of the bigger learning points that could otherwise have limited uptake from physicians’ practices,” he said. “We are tracking order volume trajectory as the clearest leading indicator over the next several quarters.”
Reimbursement and Future Growth
That framing suggests investors will likely watch whether broader physician access through Quest translates into higher test volumes, which in turn could support reimbursement progress and wider adoption. Helio previously said the American Medical Association approved a new Category I CPT code for HelioLiver, which the company described as establishing a reimbursement pathway for broader access in the U.S.
Tewarie identified physician awareness, reimbursement, and evidence generation as the main barriers to adoption. “The Quest partnership directly addresses the first — it puts HelioLiver in front of physicians who already trust and use Quest’s platform daily,” he said. “On reimbursement, we are actively pursuing coverage pathways and encourage investors to watch that space.”
Over the next 12 to 24 months, investors are likely to focus on whether the Quest rollout drives growth in ordering physicians and test volume, as well as whether that momentum helps Helio secure broader reimbursement and deepen commercial traction.
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