Natera’s Signatera™ MRD Test Named to TIME’s List of the Best Inventions of 2026

Signatera recognized in the Medical & Healthcare category for its transformative impact on cancer care

Natera also named to Fortune's Future 120, which highlights companies poised to define the next chapter of business and innovation

AUSTIN, Texas, October 15, 2026--Natera, Inc. (NASDAQ: NTRA), a global leader in cell-free DNA and precision medicine, today announced that its Signatera molecular residual disease (MRD) test has been named to TIME's Best Inventions of 2026 list, featuring extraordinary innovations that are changing lives.

TIME's Best Inventions list, published annually, highlights the technologies and breakthroughs making the world better, smarter, and more innovative. To compile this year's list, TIME solicited nominations from TIME editors and correspondents around the world, and through an online application process, paying special attention to growing fields—such as healthcare and AI. TIME then evaluated each candidate on a number of key factors, including originality, efficacy, ambition, and impact.

Signatera, a personalized MRD test for patients diagnosed with cancer, was named to the list in the Medical & Healthcare category. This recognition comes as Signatera continues to advance as a foundational tool in modern cancer care, offering critical insights that inform care management for millions of patients.

Built from the unique genomic signature of each patient's tumor, Signatera detects and quantifies tiny fragments of circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) in the blood, providing ongoing monitoring for disease recurrence and response to treatment across cancer types. The test plays an important role in oncology drug development, helping pharmaceutical companies identify patients for clinical trials and accelerate the approval of novel therapies. It is the most widely adopted and extensively validated MRD test, supported by more than 200 peer-reviewed publications and used by more than 55% of oncologists in the U.S.

"One of the biggest problems in cancer care is knowing who needs additional therapy and who might safely avoid it," said Steve Chapman, chief executive officer, Natera. "Signatera can help guide those challenging decisions, because it can detect disease recurrence in the blood up to two years in advance of imaging, giving patients and their doctors greater lead time and confidence. We are honored to receive this important recognition from TIME."

Also in October 2026, Natera was named to Fortune's Future 120. This list highlights companies across industries poised to define the next chapter of business and innovation. Together, these honors reflect Natera's expanding role in precision medicine and the growing impact of the Signatera test across cancer care.