SOUTH SAN FRANCISCO, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Veracyte, Inc. (Nasdaq: VCYT) today announced that it has named Tracy Morris as vice president of corporate communications and investor relations, effective immediately. In this role, Ms. Morris will be responsible for the development and execution of Veracyte’s communications strategy to shareholders, customers, patients, employees and other audiences.

Ms. Morris has over 25 years of experience in healthcare communications and public relations. She has served as a communications consultant to Veracyte for nearly ten years and to other leading molecular diagnostics and health technology companies and start-ups since 2003. For Veracyte, she provided communications leadership and support for the company’s market introduction, IPO, acquisition and collaboration announcements, product and clinical milestones and ongoing investor relations activities. Earlier in her career, Ms. Morris was director of U.S. marketing communications for Digene Corporation, which was subsequently acquired by QIAGEN.

“I am delighted to welcome Tracy to the Veracyte team,” said Bonnie Anderson, Veracyte’s chairman and chief executive officer. “Her extensive background in molecular diagnostics, her success in building strategic communications programs that support business growth, and her deep understanding of Veracyte’s business will be key to helping us achieve our vision of becoming a leading global genomic diagnostics company.”

Veracyte also announced today that Alfred “Freddie” Bowie, Jr., Ph.D., the company’s vice president of corporate and business development, has been named to Savoy magazine’s prestigious “2020 Most Influential Black Executives in Corporate America” list, which appears in the publication’s spring issue. Dr. Bowie, who joined Veracyte in April 2019, was chosen by the magazine based on criteria that included corporate sector influence, scholastic achievement, career growth, community outreach and recognition.

“We are thrilled for Freddie to receive this honor, which acknowledges his significant career achievements and contributions to the molecular diagnostics sector,” said Ms. Anderson. “We believe that the broad diversity of perspectives among our employees is key to our ongoing success and Freddie’s recognition is testimony to the impact of that belief.”

About Veracyte

Veracyte (Nasdaq: VCYT) is a leading genomic diagnostics company that improves patient care by providing answers to clinical questions that inform diagnosis and treatment decisions without the need for costly, risky surgeries that are often unnecessary. The company’s core products are uniquely developed with RNA whole-transcriptome sequencing and machine learning to deliver results that give patients and physicians a clear path forward. Since its founding in 2008, Veracyte has commercialized seven genomic tests and is transforming the diagnosis of thyroid cancer, lung cancer and idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis. In December 2019, Veracyte acquired the exclusive global diagnostic rights to the nCounter platform from NanoString Technologies, Inc., through which it plans to make its genomic tests available to physicians and their patients worldwide. These include commercial and in-development tests in breast cancer and lymphoma, respectively, which Veracyte also acquired through the transaction. Veracyte is based in South San Francisco, California. For more information, please visit www.veracyte.com and follow the company on Twitter (@veracyte).

Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements can be identified by words such as: “anticipate,” “intend,” “plan,” “expect,” “believe,” “should,” “may,” “will” and similar references to future periods. Examples of forward-looking statements include, among others, the expected impacts of the acquisition from NanoString on Veracyte, including its ability to expand its platform globally, its ability to increase the efficiency of its advanced genomic testing, and its plans to transfer its current and pipeline genomic tests onto the nCounter system; Veracyte’s ability to advance the development and commercialization of novel diagnostic tests under the collaboration with Johnson & Johnson; the ability of Veracyte to achieve the expected benefits from the Acerta collaboration; and its ability to potentially inform diagnosis and treatment decisions in new oncology indications. Forward-looking statements are neither historical facts nor assurances of future performance, but are based only on our current beliefs, expectations and assumptions. These statements involve risks and uncertainties, which could cause actual results to differ materially from our predictions, and include, but are not limited to: Veracyte’s ability to achieve and maintain Medicare coverage for its tests; the benefits of our tests and the applicability of clinical results to actual outcomes; the laws and regulations applicable to Veracyte’s business, including potential regulation by the Food and Drug Administration or other regulatory bodies; Veracyte’s ability to successfully achieve and maintain adoption of and reimbursement for its products; the amount by which use of Veracyte’s products are able to reduce invasive procedures and misdiagnosis, and reduce healthcare costs; the occurrence and outcomes of clinical studies; and other risks set forth in Veracyte’s filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including the risks set forth in its annual report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2019. These forward-looking statements speak only as of the date hereof and Veracyte specifically disclaims any obligation to update these forward-looking statements or reasons why actual results might differ, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

Veracyte, Afirma, Percepta, Envisia, Prosigna, LymphMark, and the Veracyte logo are trademarks of Veracyte, Inc. Other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.

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