Plus Therapeutics Expands CNSide Coverage by 6 Million Lives to 81 Million with Blue Shield Deal
Plus Therapeutics’ CNSide Diagnostics secured reimbursement from Blue Shield of California for its CSF Tumor Cell Enumeration assay, expanding covered lives by 6 million to 81 million and advancing toward its 2026 target of 150 million. The agreement is expected to accelerate CNSide adoption across centers by removing reimbursement barriers.
1. Company Secures Blue Shield Coverage
CNSide Diagnostics secures payer agreement with Blue Shield of California effective April 2026, adding its CSF Tumor Cell Enumeration assay to the insurer’s reimbursement schedule for patients with metastatic central nervous system cancers.
2. Coverage Expansion and 2026 Objective
The agreement expands CNSide’s covered lives by 6 million, raising total coverage from 75 million to 81 million and advancing toward the company’s goal of 150 million covered lives by year-end 2026.
3. Adoption and Performance Metrics
Since its 2020 launch, over 11,000 CNSide tests have been performed at more than 120 U.S. cancer institutions, demonstrating 92% sensitivity, 95% specificity and influencing treatment decisions in 90% of cases.
4. Economic Impact of Early Detection
Health economic analyses show that earlier detection with CNSide can reduce overall leptomeningeal metastases-related healthcare costs by around 40% through optimized treatment timing and resource use.