• 1 in 3 eligible Americans avoid colorectal cancer (CRC) screenings because traditional methods are viewed as unpleasant and inconvenient
• Guardant's FDA-approved Shield blood test offers an easier, more convenient way to screen with a blood draw from any prescribing healthcare provider for adults 45+ at average risk for CRC
• Motivated by his mother’s cancer fight, Dempsey is calling on Americans to prioritize getting screened this CRC Awareness Month

PALO ALTO, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Mar. 3, 2026-- Guardant Health, Inc. (Nasdaq: GH), a leading precision oncology company, today announced its partnership with actor and cancer advocate Patrick Dempsey to increase awareness about colorectal cancer (CRC) screening and the Shield® blood test. Approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in 2024 and recommended in national guidelines, Shield offers an easier way to screen for colorectal cancer (CRC) with just a blood draw for eligible individuals 45 and over at average risk for the disease.

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Patrick Dempsey, actor and cancer advocate, shares his experience getting screened for colorectal cancer with Shield by Guardant Health, the first and only FDA-approved blood test for primary colorectal cancer screening.

Throughout his 30-plus-year acting career, Dempsey has captured audiences’ hearts and defined his legacy in film and television playing unforgettable characters from Grey’s Anatomy to most recently, Memory of a Killer, among others. Beyond his professional achievements, Dempsey has become an avid cancer advocate following his mother’s cancer diagnosis, an experience that shaped his commitment to the cause including founding The Dempsey Center with a focus on providing supportive cancer care services.

Last year, he was named as one of the 100 Most Influential People in Oncology, a list which also includes Guardant co-founders AmirAli Talasaz and Helmy Eltoukhy, recognizing his significant contributions in elevating cancer awareness, survivorship, and community-based support.

Now, Dempsey is teaming up with Guardant Health during CRC Awareness Month in March to help spread awareness on the importance of early detection, including sharing his experience getting screened with Shield to show how innovative tools like Shield are making colorectal cancer screening easier and more convenient.

Shield is proven to increase screening rates in the real world, with 93% of patients completing the test in the first 100,000 Shield tests ordered - a significant improvement in screening adherence rates over other types of tests.¹ Recently, the National Comprehensive Cancer Network included the Shield blood test in its updated CRC screening guidelines, paving the way for improved patient access and additional major clinical guideline inclusions.

“Too many families know the pain of losing someone they love to cancer and I’ve lived that reality. Seeing my mother’s ongoing fight with cancer showed me firsthand how critical an early, regular screening is to have the best chance at beating cancer. That’s why I chose to screen with Guardant’s Shield blood test and use my voice to prevent other families from facing the same heartbreak,” said Dempsey. “The risks are too high for colorectal cancer and too many Americans continue to delay their lifesaving screenings. I’m excited by Guardant’s Shield blood test and its game-changing ability to make a real difference in the fight against colorectal cancer by providing colorectal cancer screening with just a blood draw, from one of the most trusted leaders in the space.”

“If you’re 45 and over and at average risk for CRC, talk to your doctor about screening options including innovative solutions like Shield that are making screening easier and more convenient to complete,” Dempsey concluded.

The burden of colorectal cancer in the U.S. is staggering and growing. According to data from the American Cancer Society (ACS), more than 50,000 Americans are expected to die from the disease each year, as the second most deadly cancer across men and women combined and recently identified as the leading cause of cancer deaths for those under 50.²

ACS also finds that the five-year survival rate for late-stage CRC is a mere 13 percent, but soars to above 90 percent when caught in its earliest stages – underscoring why early detection is so critical. Still, more than 54 million Americans aged 45 and over avoid recommended screening due to the unpleasant and inconvenient nature of traditional methods, according to a JAMA Network study.³

“We’re honored to work with Patrick to raise awareness about colorectal cancer screening, particularly given his longstanding advocacy and dedication to cancer prevention and care,” said AmirAli Talasaz, Guardant Health co-CEO. “At Guardant, we believe early detection should be within reach for everyone eligible. The Shield blood test represents a major breakthrough in making that possible by removing the barriers that keep too many from getting screened. With Patrick’s partnership, we can expand awareness of the latest innovation in CRC screening and save lives by empowering more Americans to stay up-to-date with their recommended screening."

Built off Guardant’s proprietary technology pioneered more than a decade ago, Shield is the first and only blood test approved by the FDA as a primary screening option for CRC. It is intended for adults aged 45 and older at average risk for the disease and can be ordered by any prescribing healthcare provider. With Shield, individuals can complete screening with a routine blood draw, with results typically available within two weeks.

For more information about the Shield blood test, visit www.ShieldCancerScreen.com.

About Shield

Shield is a methylation partitioning cell-free DNA (mp-cfDNA) non-invasive, blood-based screening test that detects alterations associated with colorectal cancer in the blood. It is intended as a screening test for individuals at average risk for the disease, age 45 or older, and is not intended for individuals at high risk for colorectal cancer. The Shield test can be considered in a manner similar to guideline-recommended non-invasive CRC screening options and can be completed during any healthcare visit. A positive Shield result raises concern for the presence of colorectal cancer or advanced adenoma and the patient should be referred for colonoscopy evaluation.

About Guardant Health

Guardant Health is a leading precision oncology company focused on guarding wellness and giving every person more time free from cancer. Founded in 2012, Guardant is transforming patient care and accelerating new cancer therapies by providing critical insights into what drives disease through its advanced blood and tissue tests, real-world data and AI analytics. Guardant tests help improve outcomes across all stages of care, including screening to find cancer early, monitoring for recurrence in early-stage cancer and treatment selection for patients with advanced cancer. For more information, visit guardanthealth.com and follow the company on LinkedIn, X (Twitter) and Facebook.

About The Dempsey Center

The Dempsey Center was founded by actor, Patrick Dempsey, in 2008 after his mother’s experience with cancer and as a way to give back to his hometown community of Lewiston, Maine. Today, the Dempsey Center has grown to two locations in Lewiston and Westbrook, Maine, a hospitality home in Portland, Maine, and has adapted to providing robust support virtually via Dempsey Connects. Our programs provide a wide range of comprehensive supportive cancer care that address the physical, functional, social, and emotional well-being of people impacted by cancer. All services are provided at no cost to cancer patients, survivors, care partners, family members, and friends. Learn more by visiting DempseyCenter.org.

Guardant Health Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of federal securities laws, including statements regarding the potential utilities, values, benefits and advantages of Guardant Health’s liquid biopsy tests or assays, which involve risks and uncertainties that could cause the actual results to differ materially from the anticipated results and expectations expressed in these forward-looking statements. These statements are based on current expectations, forecasts and assumptions, and actual outcomes and results could differ materially from these statements due to a number of factors. These and additional risks and uncertainties that could affect Guardant Health’s financial and operating results and cause actual results to differ materially from those indicated by the forward-looking statements made in this press release include those discussed under the captions “Risk Factors” and “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operation” and elsewhere in its Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2025 and in its other reports filed with or furnished to the Securities and Exchange Commission. The forward-looking statements in this press release are based on information available to Guardant Health as of the date hereof, and Guardant Health disclaims any obligation to update any forward-looking statements provided to reflect any change in its expectations or any change in events, conditions, or circumstances on which any such statement is based, except as required by law. These forward-looking statements should not be relied upon as representing Guardant Health’s views as of any date subsequent to the date of this press release.

¹ Inadomi JM, Vijan S, Janz NK, et al. Adherence to colorectal cancer screening: a randomized clinical trial of competing strategies. Arch Intern Med. 2012;172(7):575-582.
²American Cancer Society. Mortality Under 50 Declines for 4 of 5 Leading Cancers in U.S., but Colorectal Now Top Cancer Killer, New ACS Study Finds. American Cancer Society Pressroom. January 22, 2026. https://pressroom.cancer.org/under-50-mortality-declines
³ Ebner DW, Kisiel JB, Fendrick AM, Estes C, Li K, Vahdat V, Limburg PJ. Estimated average-risk colorectal cancer screening–eligible population in the US. JAMA Netw Open. 2024 Mar 29;7(3):e245537. doi:10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2024.5537. PMID: 38551567; PMCID: PMC10980958

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Investor Contact:
Zarak Khurshid
investors@guardanthealth.com

Media Contact:
Meaghan Smith
press@guardanthealth.com

Source: Guardant Health, Inc.