Color Health

{{Short description|US population health technology company}} {{Infobox company | name = Color Health, Inc. | trade_name = Color | logo = Color Genomics 2024 logo.svg | type = [[Privately held company|Private]] | industry = Healthcare, Cancer Care | fate = | predecessor =  | successor =  | founded = {{Start date and age|April 2015}} as Color Genomics | founders = Elad Gil, Nish Bhat, Taylor Sittler, and Othman Laraki | defunct =  | hq_location_city = [[Burlingame, California]] | hq_location_country = US | area_served = 100+ Countries | key_people = Othman Laraki (CEO) | products = Cancer risk, detection, and care. | owner =  | num_employees = | num_employees_year =  | parent = | website = {{URL|https://color.com/}} }}

'''Color Health, Inc.''' (founded as ''Color Genomics'') is an American healthcare company focused on cancer care delivery. The company operates a Virtual Cancer Clinic that provides services in cancer prevention, detection, screening, diagnosis, and survivorship care.

==History == Color was co-founded in 2015 by Elad Gil, Nish Bhat, Taylor Sittler, and Othman Laraki, who serves as the company's CEO, in Burlingame, California.<ref>{{Cite web |date=March 4, 2015 |title=“Color Genomics launches with $2.5M from Khosla, First Round, others.” |url=https://venturebeat.com/2015/03/04/color-genomics-launches/ |website=VentureBeat}}</ref>

In November 2021, the company raised $100 million in a Series E financing round led by General Catalyst.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Farr |first=Christina |date=November 30, 2021 |title=“Digital health startup Color valued at $4.6 billion after raising $100 million.” |url=https://www.cnbc.com/2021/11/30/color-raises-100-million-valuation-4point6-billion.html |website=CNBC}}</ref>

In 2023, Color refocused its efforts from population genomics and COVID-19 testing to cancer care delivery, introducing its Virtual Cancer Clinic, a wholly-owned, vertically integrated cancer care platform that offers early detection, oncology based care, and survivorship support as an employer-offered health care benefit.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |title=“Color Health – Cancer Care.” |url=https://www.color.com/cancer |access-date= |website=Color.com}}</ref>

== Cancer Care Model ==

In 2023, Color Health launched its Virtual Cancer Clinic to provide cancer risk assessment, early detection, treatment coordination, and survivorship support. Care is delivered in accordance with established clinical guidelines by oncology-trained clinicians, primary care physicians, and genetic counselors licensed in all 50 U.S. states.<ref name=":0" />

According to the company, first-year participation typically ranges from 20 to 30 percent of eligible individuals, with reported increases in screening adherence of up to 77 percent and shorter timelines from screening to diagnosis by up to 55 percent.<ref>{{Cite web |title=“Color Health – Employers.” |url=https://www.color.com/employers |website=Color.com}}</ref>

External reporting has noted that Color piloted the use of artificial intelligence tools to generate [[cancer screening]] and diagnostic plans, with the goal of reducing missed workups and creating standardized recommendations.<ref>{{Cite web |date=October 23, 2023 |title=“Color Health, OpenAI team up on AI-generated cancer screening plans.” |url=https://www.fiercehealthcare.com/health-tech/color-health-openai-work-together-ai-generated-screening-plans-cancer-patients |website=Fierce Healthcare}}</ref>

The Virtual Cancer Clinic also includes behavioral health support programs, a national imaging network, and care advocacy services.<ref name=":0" />

In 2025, Color presented findings at the [[American Society of Clinical Oncology]] (ASCO) annual meeting from telehealth-based cancer screening programs for colorectal and lung cancers. These initiatives used at-home testing and virtual assessments to increase access to early detection services.<ref>{{Cite web |date=May 30, 2025 |title=“Color Health presents findings on national telehealth-based cancer screening programs at ASCO 2025.” |url=https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/color-health-presents-findings-on-national-telehealth-based-cancer-screening-programs-at-asco-2025-302470671.html |website=PR Newswire}}</ref>

=== Partnership ===

* '''American Cancer Society (ACS):''' Color and ACS have partnered to promote cancer screening through employers and unions, combining ACS guidelines and patient resources with Color's Virtual Cancer Clinic to expand access to evidence-based cancer care.<ref>{{Cite web |title=“Color Health and the American Cancer Society partner to boost cancer screening rates.” |url=https://www.cancer.org/about-us/our-partners/color-health.html |website=American Cancer Society}}</ref> * '''MSK Direct – Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center:''' In collaboration with MSK Direct, Color connects employees nationwide to MSK's oncology expertise through its Virtual Cancer Clinic.<ref>{{Cite web |title=“Color and MSK Direct increase access to world-class cancer care.” |url=https://www.color.com/blog/color-and-msk-direct-increase-access-to-world-class-cancer-care |website=Color Health Blog}}</ref> * '''Carrum Health:''' Color and Carrum Health have partnered to integrate early detection, navigation, and post-diagnosis care with Carrum's Centers of Excellence model for cancer and surgical care.<ref>{{Cite web |date=January 23, 2024 |title=“Color and Carrum Health partner to improve outcomes and reduce cost of cancer care for employers.” |url=https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/color-and-carrum-health-partner-to-improve-outcomes-and-reduce-cost-of-cancer-care-for-employers-302174641.html |website=PR Newswire}}</ref> * '''Collective Health:''' Through a partnership with Collective Health, members can access Color's Virtual Cancer Clinic via the My Collective™ portal, enabling integrated care, eligibility tracking, and reporting.<ref>{{Cite web |title=“Partner Collective: Color Health.” |url=https://collectivehealth.com/partner-collective/color-health/ |website=“Partner Collective: Color Health.”}}</ref> * '''University of California San Francisco (UCSF) and OpenAI:''' Color collaborated with UCSF and [[OpenAI]] to develop an AI-powered “Cancer Copilot” tool, designed to assist clinicians in delivering guideline-based care. The tool demonstrated over 95 percent concordance on patient cases in early testing.<ref>{{Cite web |title=“Expertise is what we want: Color Health, UCSF, and OpenAI.” |url=https://www.color.com/blog/expertise-is-what-we-want |website=Color Health Blog}}</ref>

== COVID-19 Testing Programs == In 2020, Color redirected its existing laboratory and logistics operations to focus on COVID-19 testing. The company operated a CLIA-certified laboratory and some of the highest-capacity testing sites in the United States at the time.<ref>Megan Molteni. “A genetic testing company adapted to fight coronavirus.” ''Wired''. April 2020.</ref><ref>“Color Health CLIA-certified laboratory expands COVID-19 testing.” ''San Francisco Chronicle''. August 2020.</ref><ref>Mallory Moench. “Coronavirus: San Francisco to double COVID-19 testing capacity.” ''San Francisco Chronicle''. August 2020.</ref>

Color provided testing for the City of San Francisco's CityTestSF program, Alameda County Health Services, and several universities and employers, including the [[University of Southern California]] and United Airlines.<ref>“USC partners with Color to provide COVID-19 testing for students and staff.” ''University of Southern California News''. August 2020.</ref><ref>Alameda County expands COVID-19 testing with Color partnership.” ''Alameda County Public Health Department''. June 2020.</ref><ref>“CityTestSF: Free COVID-19 testing for San Francisco residents.” ''San Francisco Department of Public Health''. 2020.</ref><ref>“City and County of San Francisco launches CityTestSF.” ''Office of the Mayor of San Francisco''. May 2020.</ref><ref>“United Airlines partners with Color for employee COVID-19 testing.” ''United Airlines Press Release''. September 2020.</ref>

By 2022, the company had processed millions of tests nationwide, though demand for testing declined and operations were scaled back.<ref>Jessica Flores. “California COVID-19 testing sites close due to computer issues.” ''San Francisco Chronicle''. January 2022</ref>

== Genetics == Color's initial products focused on affordable [[genetic testing]] for hereditary cancer. Its CLIA-certified and CAP-accredited laboratory continues to provide genomic testing and [[genetic counseling]].<ref name=":1">“Color Genomics: Affordable BRCA testing.” ''The Verge''. April 2015.</ref>

The company's tests analyze genes associated with hereditary cancer syndromes, including [[BRCA1]] and BRCA2, as well as 27 other genes associated with breast, prostate, colon, uterine, stomach, melanoma, pancreatic, and ovarian cancers.<ref name=":1" />

== Research == Since 2018, Color has been a genome center for the National Institutes of Health's All of Us Research Program, which aims to sequence one million or more individuals in the United States to advance precision medicine research.<ref name=":2">National Institutes of Health. “NIH funds genome centers for All of Us Research Program.” ''NIH News Release''. September 2018.</ref>

In 2019, Color was awarded responsibility for delivering genetic counseling across the All of Us program.<ref name=":3">“Color Health to provide genetic counseling for NIH’s All of Us program.” ''GenomeWeb''. July 2019.</ref>

The company has participated in research initiatives, including:

* '''All of Us Research Program (NIH):''' Color is one of three Clinical Validation Laboratories for the National Institutes of Health's All of Us initiative and serves as the program's sole provider of genetic counseling. The study aims to return health-related genetic information to over one million participants in the United States to support precision medicine research.<ref name=":2" /><ref name=":3" /><ref>{{Cite web |title=“All of Us Research Program.” |url=https://allofus.nih.gov/ |website=National Institutes of Health}}</ref> * '''FLOSSIES Cohort:''' In partnership with Mary-Claire King and the [[University of Washington]], Color contributed sequencing for the ''Fabulous Ladies Over Seventy'' cohort, creating a publicly available dataset of hereditary cancer variants in older women.<ref>The FLOSSIES cohort: genetic data from older women.” ''University of Washington Press Release''. 2018.</ref> * '''Color Data:''' A database of aggregated genetic and clinical information from 50,000 individuals who used Color's tests, released publicly to support genotype–phenotype research and drug discovery.<ref>“Color Data: A public resource for genetic variant interpretation.” ''Color.com''. 2018.</ref><ref>“Genetic testing company launches largest public database of sequenced genomes.” ''TechCrunch''. 2018.</ref> * '''MAGENTA Study:''' In collaboration with the Stand Up To Cancer Dream Team, Color provided genetic testing and tele-counseling for individuals at increased risk for hereditary cancer syndromes.<ref>“Stand Up To Cancer Dream Team launches MAGENTA Study.” ''Stand Up To Cancer''. 2018.</ref> * '''WISDOM Study:''' Color is the exclusive genomic testing partner for the WISDOM trial, a 100,000-person study comparing annual mammograms with risk-based screening. The trial is led by the University of California system in partnership with Sanford Health.<ref>“WISDOM study explores risk-based breast cancer screening.” ''University of California Health''. 2018.</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=“The WISDOM Study: Women Informed to Screen Depending On Measures of risk.” |url=https://www.thewisdomstudy.org/ |website=University of California Health / Sanford Health}}</ref> * '''PROMISE Study:''' Led by Johns Hopkins and Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, the PROMISE registry is exploring the role of inherited mutations in prostate cancer outcomes and treatment. Color provides clinical genetic testing for study participants.<ref>{{Cite web |title=“Prostate Cancer PROMISE Study.” |url=https://www.prostatecancerpromise.org/ |website=Johns Hopkins / Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center}}</ref> * '''GENtleMEN Study:''' Conducted with Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center and the University of Washington, this study offers genetic testing and counseling to men with advanced prostate cancer. It focuses on reducing barriers to access such as cost and geography.<ref>“GENtleMEN Study: genetic testing for prostate cancer patients.” ''Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center''. 2019.</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Cheng |first=H. |title=The GENTleMEN Study: Expanding access to genetic testing for men with prostate cancer. |url=https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36623239/ |website=PubMed}}</ref> * '''Cleveland African American Prostate Cancer Project (CAAPP):''' In partnership with Case Western Reserve University, Color provides hereditary cancer testing and counseling in community settings such as barbershops in Cleveland to increase access among Black men.<ref>{{Cite web |title=“Cleveland African American Prostate Cancer Project (CAAPP).” |url=https://case.edu/cancer/community/caapp |website=Case Western Reserve University}}</ref> * '''Genetic Information and Family Testing (GIFT) Study:''' In partnership with the University of Michigan and Stanford University, Color supports family-based genetic testing for cancer patients and their relatives. The study examines factors influencing participation in hereditary cancer prevention programs.<ref>{{Cite web |title=“The Genetic Information and Family Testing (GIFT) Study.” |url=https://giftstudy.org/patient |website=University of Michigan / Stanford University}}</ref>

Color also contributes anonymized variants to ClinVar, a database managed by the National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI) at the National Institutes of Health (NIH).<ref>“ClinVar database.” ''National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI)''. Accessed 2023.</ref>

==References== {{reflist}}

[[Category:Genomics companies]] [[Category:Medical tests]] [[Category:Biotechnology]] [[Category:American companies established in 2015]] [[Category:2015 establishments in California]] [[Category:Privately held companies based in Burlingame, California]]