The Northstar Note - March 2026

Mar 17, 2026

March 2026 | Volume 2, Issue 1

The Northstar Note highlights key developments across the Northstar platform, including new clinical resources, educational sessions, and opportunities to connect with the oncology community. This quarter, we’re excited to share the expansion of the Northstar platform with two new add-on applications for Northstar Select®, along with upcoming educational programming and new resources designed to support clinicians integrating liquid biopsy insights into real-world oncology practice.

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Add clonal hematopoiesis and Pharmacogenomics testing to Northstar Select

BillionToOne recently announced the expansion of the Northstar platform with the launch of two new optional add-on liquid biopsy applications:

Clonal Hematopoiesis (CH) Analysis
Pharmacogenomics (PGx)

These additions strengthen interpretive clarity and therapeutic personalization from a single blood draw—supporting more confident clinical decision-making.

Clonal hematopoiesis analysis helps distinguish tumor-derived variants from clonal hematopoiesis findings that may appear in circulating cfDNA. Pharmacogenomics (PGx) for DPYD and UGT1A1 provide additional insight on drug metabolism considerations that may impact treatment planning. Together, these new testing applications further enhance the clinical utility of Northstar Select® and reflect our commitment to delivering thoughtful, actionable molecular insights for oncology teams.‍

Read the full announcement here.‍

New Educational Resources

To support clinicians exploring these new capabilities, we have launched dedicated educational pages covering each application.

Clonal Hematopoiesis (CH): Clonal hematopoiesis can confound liquid biopsy interpretation by introducing variant signals that are not derived from the tumor. Proper attribution of variants in CH-prone, clinically actionable genes are vital to ensure accurate and confident clinical decision making. Learn more here.
Pharmacogenomics (PGx): Pharmacogenomics testing can help identify genetic variants that influence how patients metabolize certain medications. In oncology, this information can help guide treatment selection and dosing considerations for certain therapies (e.g. DPYD status and 5-FU/capecitabine dosing). Learn more here.

Clinical Spotlight: Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month

March is Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month, a time dedicated to raising awareness and advancing action against one of the leading causes of cancer death worldwide—and the deadliest cancer in adults under 50. For healthcare teams treating colorectal cancer, awareness also includes recognizing opportunities to improve treatment safety and personalization.

Pharmacogenomics insights can help identify patients with DPYD deficiency, a genetic variant associated with severe toxicity from commonly used fluoropyrimidine chemotherapies such as 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) and capecitabine. Identifying these variants before treatment may help guide safer dosing strategies and reduce the risk of avoidable adverse events.

To learn more about how PGx insights may support treatment decisions in colorectal cancer care, you can watch our recent educational session.‍

Watch the PGx webinar replay.‍

Upcoming Session: Clonal Hematopoiesis in Liquid Biopsy

Our next educational session will focus on Clonal Hematopoiesis (CH) and its importance in interpreting liquid biopsy results. The discussion will explore how CH can appear in circulating cfDNA and why distinguishing CH-related variants from tumor-derived alterations is critical for accurate reporting and clinical decision-making.‍

Register for the Clonal Hematopoiesis webinar.