I would like to welcome you to Adaptive Biotechnologies' second quarter 2026 earnings conference call. In addition, Non-GAAP financial measures will be discussed during the call, and a reconciliation from Non-GAAP to GAAP metrics can be found in our earnings release. Revenue, excluding milestones, increased 49% year-over-year, driven by growth across both clinical testing and pharma. Clinical testing volume grew 43%, adding more than 3,500 tests sequentially, while pharma sequencing continued its strong momentum.

We expanded MRD sequencing gross margin to 71%, up nine percentage points from a year ago, and we increased adjusted EBITDA margin to 14%. These results demonstrate the scalability of our MRD business and its ability to generate profitable growth. The transaction enabled us to retire the OrbiMed agreement, simplify our capital structure, increase our financial flexibility to execute our separation strategy, and invest in the compelling opportunities we see in MRD. Accordingly, we're raising our full year MRD revenue guidance to a range of $268 million-$278 million.

Now, let's take a closer look at the clinical business on slide five, which continues to be the primary driver of MRD growth. Clinical revenue increased 53% year-over-year, driven by a 43% increase in testing volumes and a 7% increase in ASP. During the quarter, we delivered more than 36,100 clonoSEQ tests, representing 11% sequential growth. CLL grew 16% sequentially, continuing to benefit from the 2025 NCCN guideline update.

What went well
  • The MRD business delivered one of the strongest quarters in Adaptive's history: core MRD revenue, excluding milestones, grew 49% year-over-year on strength across both clinical testing and pharma, while total revenue rose 30% to $71.6 million.
  • Clinical revenue increased 53% year-over-year, powered by a 43% increase in testing volume (more than 36,100 clonoSEQ tests, up 11% sequentially) and a 7% increase in ASP, with broad-based growth across every reimbursed indication.
  • Profitability scaled sharply: MRD sequencing gross margin expanded to 72% from 64% a year ago (helped by the NovaSeq X transition), and MRD adjusted EBITDA rose to $9.1 million from $1.9 million a year ago, lifting the MRD adjusted EBITDA margin to 14%.
  • Key volume drivers moved ahead of plan: blood-based testing reached 51% of total clonoSEQ volume for the first time (up 68% year-over-year), community testing hit 36% of volume (up 65%), serial-monitoring pull-through improved to 75%, and roughly 5,200 clinicians ordered clonoSEQ (up 40%).
  • The company raised full-year MRD revenue guidance to $268 million-$278 million (from $260 million-$270 million) and lifted its clinical volume growth outlook to 38%-40% (from 35%).
  • MRD pharma had another strong quarter with sequencing revenue up 38% year-over-year excluding milestones (and no milestone recognized this period), backlog of approximately $245 million (up 12%), 189 active global clinical trials, and regulated-endpoint studies now about 60% of the active portfolio versus about 40% a couple of years ago.
  • Adaptive strengthened its balance sheet with a $340 million zero-coupon convertible note offering that retired the OrbiMed agreement, paired with a cap call and share repurchase to limit dilution, ending the quarter with approximately $357 million in cash.
What went wrong
  • GAAP net loss for the quarter was $39.9 million, which included $26.4 million of debt-extinguishment expense plus interest expense tied to the now-settled OrbiMed financing agreement.
  • The total company still posted an adjusted EBITDA loss of $0.7 million, weighed down by an Immune Medicine adjusted EBITDA loss of $6.3 million.
  • The raised full-year clonoSEQ volume guide of 38%-40% implies a deceleration from the low-40s (43%) growth delivered in the first half, which drew analyst questions about conservatism versus comps.
  • U.S. ASP of $1,382 per test remains below the roughly $1,400 full-year target, and two large commercial payer recontracting negotiations that could support pricing have not yet closed.
  • Management decided to wind down the research-use-only pharma services business within Immune Medicine (which operated around break-even) as part of sharpening the portfolio ahead of separation.
  • Immune Medicine remains unprofitable and is being carved out for separation; segment revenue was just $5.4 million (up 8%) and depended primarily on the Pfizer target-discovery agreement.
  • Guidance assumes no additional milestone revenue in the second half (only $9 million, all recognized in Q1), and management repeatedly flagged that the pharma business is lumpy and dependent on the timing of trial enrollments and sample arrivals.

Guidance Changes

MetricPeriodCurrent guidance
MRD revenueFY2026$268M-$278M (raised); midpoint implies ~29% YoY growth, or ~37% excluding milestones
Clinical (clonoSEQ) volume growthFY202638%-40%
U.S. ASP per testFY2026On track to approximately $1,400 (Q2 actual $1,382)
Total operating expensesFY2026$350M-$355M (narrowed, on lower Immune Medicine spend)
MRD sequencing gross marginFY2026On track to exceed 70%
MRD milestone revenueFY2026$9M (all recognized in Q1; none assumed in second half)
Company-wide adjusted EBITDA and free cash flowFY2026 (by year-end)On track to reach positive adjusted EBITDA and positive free cash flow for the entire company by the end of 2026
Immune Medicine separationBy year-end 2026Continue to expect to identify preferred path of separation by year-end (Morgan Stanley retained as advisor)

Performance Breakdown

MetricYoYNote
Total revenue +30% to $71.6M Driven by continued strength in MRD, which represented 92% of total company revenue (Genentech amortization excluded from all prior-period comparisons).
MRD revenue +33% to $66.2M (+49% excluding milestones) Strength in both clinical and pharma; prior-year Q2 included $5.5M of milestones not repeated this quarter. Clinical and pharma were 75% and 25% of MRD revenue.
Clinical revenue +53% A 43% increase in testing volume plus a 7% increase in ASP, with broad-based growth across every reimbursed indication.
clonoSEQ test volume +43% YoY (+11% sequential) More than 36,100 tests delivered, reflecting expansion of the ordering-physician and account base, deeper penetration of existing accounts, and adoption across the care continuum.
MRD sequencing gross margin +8 pts to 72% (from 64%) Lower assay costs following the NovaSeq X transition plus operating leverage as volumes grow.
MRD adjusted EBITDA $9.1M vs $1.9M a year ago (14% margin) Combination of strong revenue growth and continued operating leverage.
MRD pharma sequencing revenue +38% (excluding milestones) Strength of the underlying sequencing business; no milestone revenue was recognized this quarter, unlike the prior year. Backlog reached ~$245M, up 12%, across 189 active trials.
Blood-based testing volume +68% YoY (+14% sequential) Reached 51% of total clonoSEQ volume for the first time; blood now contributes 30% of MRD testing in multiple myeloma and 42% in ALL.
Community testing +65% YoY Represented 36% of total volume (above the full-year target), supported by updated guidelines, standardized protocols, and EMR-enabled workflows.
Immune Medicine revenue +8% to $5.4M Primarily reflecting revenue recognized under the target-discovery agreement with Pfizer; segment posted a $6.3M adjusted EBITDA loss.

Earnings Call Themes & Trends

TopicPrevious mentionCurrent periodTrend
Separation of MRD and Immune MedicineMRD and Immune Medicine operated together within one company; Immune Medicine framed as a call optionAdaptive announced a plan to separate the two businesses, retained Morgan Stanley to evaluate strategic and structural alternatives for Immune Medicine, expects to identify its preferred path by year-end, and has Harlan Robins transitioning from CSO to a consultant role to help advance the separation; MRD would go 'free and clear' to pursue its growth strategy.
Blood-based testing shiftBlood-based testing a growing but sub-half share of volumeBlood exceeded half of all clonoSEQ tests for the first time at 51% (up 68% YoY), including 30% of MRD testing in multiple myeloma and 42% in ALL, expanding the opportunity in the community setting and supporting more frequent serial monitoring.
Community adoption and serial monitoringFlatiron integration launched; serial pull-through 60% in Q4 (first full quarter), 72% last quarterCommunity testing reached 36% of volume (up 65% YoY, above the full-year target); one year after Flatiron integration, 75% of repeat orders are being fulfilled, and Adaptive completed its first Epic integration with a custom serial-testing interface.
Pricing, reimbursement and ASPASP building toward the ~$1,400 target via reimbursement gainsU.S. ASP rose to $1,382 (up 7%), aided by recent MCL coverage expansion with Concert and in-house revenue-cycle management; management is in productive dialogue with MolDX/Medicare to expand tests per episode and with two large commercial payers on recontracting, with $1,400 seen as de-risked.
Pharma registrational portfolioRegulated-endpoint studies were about 40% of active studies a couple of years agoRegulated-endpoint (primary or secondary) studies now comprise about 60% of active studies, carrying higher economic value and future milestone potential; multiple myeloma remains the largest registrational share with expansion in CLL and ALL, and MRD is increasingly used to guide enrollment, stratification, and treatment decisions.
Balance sheet and capital structureOrbiMed financing agreement in placeA $340 million zero-coupon convertible note offering retired OrbiMed, was paired with a cap call and share repurchase to reduce dilution, and left the company with ~$357 million in cash and going-forward net interest income; the added capital also supports evaluating platform expansion into solid tumors and other disease areas under a disciplined M&A framework.
Competitive environment in DLBCLclonoSEQ the established purpose-built heme MRD platformManagement sees competition (notably Natera's Foresight) in the field, mostly in the early, underdeveloped DLBCL market, but reports no attributable impact on growth or its customer base, citing its purpose-built technology, evidence base, reimbursement, and EMR integrations, with the enhanced ctDNA assay a focus later this year.

Q&A Summary

David Westenberg (Piper Sandler) asked what is driving the 15% sequential growth in multiple myeloma, Adaptive's largest and most mature indication, and whether it can continue.
Management credited continued focus on this top-priority indication, particularly the increase in blood-based testing, which accesses untapped community users where bone marrows are harder to complete and increases interim surveillance and testing frequency; ongoing investment in blood testing sensitivity and clinical-actionability use cases (e.g., MIDAS) should support guideline updates, testing pathways, and EMR-driven pull-through. Chad Robins added that even with 15% sequential growth, Adaptive is only 17% penetrated in multiple myeloma, leaving a long runway as blood-based and community testing expand.
David Westenberg (Piper Sandler) followed up on ASP, asking what would de-risk the roughly $1,400 full-year target given the $1,382 result.
Kyle Piskel pointed to price increases from previously renegotiated contracts taking effect in the second half, additional dollars from expanding DLBCL and MCL coverage, and initiatives with two large payers the company is working to recontract and execute in the second half.
Subbu Nambi (Guggenheim) asked whether reported ASP is still the right KPI as blood drives more serial testing per patient, or whether per-patient economics and lifetime value are the better lens.
Chad Robins said ASP and per-patient economics are intertwined; Adaptive is in productive dialogue with Medicare's MolDX program to expand the number of tests per episode (the quickest path to closing coverage gaps, applying to the high-30s% Medicare share, while commercial payers have no test-count limit) and is pursuing recurrence-monitoring indications (secured MCL, now working on CLL). The core strategy is increasing tests per patient over the patient life cycle, which he expects to be captured in the revenue line.
Subbu Nambi (Guggenheim) also asked what percentage of volume comes from the top ordering HCPs and how that informs a go-deeper-versus-go-broader strategy.
Management said over 5,100 HCPs ordered clonoSEQ for clinical purposes in Q2, with the top ~100 users making up around 10% of volume and about 2,000 providers accounting for 80%; use has become more distributed, reflecting the community-broadening strategy. With roughly half of U.S. heme-treating clinicians now ordering, and growing evidence-backed use cases plus EMR tools, there is a high ceiling to grow both broader and deeper.
Mark Massaro (BTIG) asked where the company stands with the two large commercial health plans it is negotiating higher rates with.
Chad Robins said there is a productive dialogue with both and he hopes it closes in the second half, but stressed it is not necessary to reach the $1,400 ASP given multiple other paths; he characterized these negotiations as potential upside.
Mark Massaro (BTIG) asked about the competitive environment, specifically whether Natera's Foresight offering is a concern, and Adaptive's competitive positioning.
Management acknowledged seeing competition in the field, particularly in DLBCL, but has not yet seen any attributable impact on its growth or customer base. It cited an unparalleled, purpose-built hematology platform, a strong evidence base, real-world experience, established reimbursement, and EMR integrations, and framed DLBCL as an early, underdeveloped market that benefits Adaptive as MRD awareness rises, with the enhanced ctDNA assay a key focus going forward.
Dan Brennan (TD Cowen) asked about the back-half pacing of the MRD guide, since the 38%-40% volume outlook implies a slowdown from the low-40s first-half growth, and for color on MRD pharma.
Management said it is comfortable with the full-year 38%-40% guide, noting the midpoint matches last year's growth rate but off a much bigger base; it sees no specific expectation of deceleration and views the strong year-to-date growth drivers as a reasonable source of upside. On pharma, the business is lumpy and dependent on trial-enrollment and sample-arrival timing, but trends are strong with continued opportunity in multiple myeloma and leukemias to expand higher-economics regulated/interventional studies.
Dan Brennan (TD Cowen) asked for any updates on the separation and the strategic value of a standalone MRD business.
Chad Robins said the key point is that MRD will be separated free and clear to pursue its growth strategy, while Immune Medicine should continue to be viewed as a call option; Adaptive is evaluating different value-maximizing paths with Morgan Stanley that could take several forms and will provide more information at the appropriate time.
Casey Woodring (JPMorgan) asked whether the updated volume guide assumes a benefit from serial testing (75% of repeat orders fulfilled, up from 72%) or whether that remains upside.
Management said the guide does not specifically contemplate increases in serial testing, though it is a key focus; Flatiron pull-through improved from 60% in Q4 to 75%, and Adaptive completed its first Epic integration with a custom serial-testing interface, with more data expected over the next two quarters. Standardizing serial testing across settings remains a source of potential upside to the guide.
Kallum Titchmarsh (Morgan Stanley) asked whether a heme-only MRD platform can be sufficient long term post-separation, or whether Adaptive would look to add solid-tumor capabilities.
Chad Robins said the separation plus the added convertible-debt capital lets Adaptive consider leveraging its platform (clinical evidence generation, market access, revenue-cycle management, and scalable lab operations) into new opportunities, potentially including solid tumors and other disease areas, under a disciplined organic and inorganic capital-allocation framework focused on high-gross-margin, high-sensitivity tests where it can win. He reiterated there is still a long growth runway in the MRD heme business.

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Reported 2026-07-29 · figures from the Adaptive Biotechnologies Corp Q2 2026 earnings call.

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