Company of the Month: Interpace Diagnostics

Question: What do Parsippany, NJ-based Interpace Diagnostics and butter have in common?

Answer: They're both on a roll.

• July 27: The molecular lab announces that Cigna will cover its ThyGenX molecular thyroid next-generation sequencing test (which is also covered by Medicare, Aetna and UnitedHeathcare, among others);

• July 27: The molecular lab announces that Cigna will cover its ThyGenX molecular thyroid next-generation sequencing test (which is also covered by Medicare, Aetna and UnitedHeathcare, among others);

• Aug. 28: The announced 2-year extension of exclusive thyroid products distribution agreement with LabCorp fuels 8 percent increase in Interpace stock; and

• Sept. 13: AMA assigns new CPT code 0018U to ease reimbursement of Interpace's ThyraMir miRNA-based molecular test for indeterminate thyroid nodules.

Runners Up

Other lab companies that had a strong month included:

Myriad Genetics, which scored a pair of significant coverage victories from Medicare (Palmetto) and Aetna for EndoPredict, an assay that uses a 12-gene molecular assessment score combined with tumor size, nodal status and other features to determine if it is medically safe for clinically low-risk breast cancer patients to skip chemotherapy.

Castle Biosciences, which secured coverage for its DecisionDx-UM for assessing uveal melanoma from Aetna.

NanoString Technologies, which announced that Anthem had decided to cover the firm's Prosigna assay, which provides a risk category and number score reflecting a breast cancer patient's 10-year recurrence risks. "Over 95 percent of U.S. patients that are indicated for Prosigna are now covered," according to the company.

Abbott, which secured FDA approval for use of its i-STAT Hematocrit test for in vitro quantification of packed red blood cell volume fraction in arterial or venous heparinized whole blood, or in arterial or venous nonanticoagulated whole blood, on the firm's proprietary Alinity platform.

Quest, which announced that its existing low density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol tests are using a new calculation that not only improves accuracy but also eliminates the patient's need to fast before being tested. This is the first nonfasting lipid test, the company claims.

Quidel, which secured more favorable terms for its acquisition of Alere's Triage BNP assay business, including a $160 million cut in the purchase price and elimination of previously agreed-to Abbott retention of $50 million worth of distribution rights ensuring Quidel total control over BNP.