Exact Sciences just took a major step toward expanding its leadership in colorectal cancer screening. The company announced that the Hart-Scott-Rodino (HSR) antitrust waiting period has expired for its exclusive U.S. licensing deal with Freenome, giving it the rights to Freenome’s blood-based colorectal cancer (CRC) screening tests. The exclusivity, however, hinges on FDA first-line approval of Freenome’s test.
This partnership strengthens Exact Sciences’ multi-modality approach — complementing Cologuard®’s stool-based test with a blood-based option aimed at improving patient uptake and screening accessibility. Following the deal’s completion, Exact updated its 2025 guidance to reflect a $75 million initial cash payment, reducing adjusted EBITDA but maintaining strong revenue growth projections of ~17% year-over-year.