Natera agreed to acquire Foresight Diagnostics for $275 million up front, plus up to $175 million in contingent payments, to integrate Foresight’s PhaseED‑Seq phased‑variant minimal residual disease (MRD) technology into Natera’s Signatera platform. The deal aims to boost sensitivity for ctDNA MRD detection across solid tumors and to open lymphoma markets where Foresight has research momentum. Natera said the integrated technology is immediately available for research use and that a clinical launch is expected in 2026. Management framed the purchase as both a commercial and technical upgrade: phased‑variant detection reportedly improves limit‑of‑detection metrics and may support MRD‑driven trial designs. Analysts noted the acquisition could accelerate adoption of personalized MRD testing in oncology trials and routine care if reimbursement and guideline incorporation follow. MRD (minimal residual disease) is a biomarker measuring trace cancer DNA after treatment; regulators and payers are increasingly focused on MRD’s role in trial design and therapeutic decision‑making.