Collaboration Seeks to Improve Patient Access to Oncology Drug Trials

A new collaboration between Foundation Medicine, Inc and Sarah Cannon Research Institute will focus on advancing personalized medicine in oncology.

The companies will use information gathered from Sarah Cannon’s cancer programs, and results from Foundation Medicine’s comprehensive genomic profiling assays to improve patient outcomes through more targeted, personal treatments, according to a press release from Foundation Medicine.

Sarah Cannon is a leading clinical research organization that conducts clinical trials, and has been involved in more than two-thirds of approved cancer drugs in the past decade. The network of strategic sites includes over 275 physician researchers.

Foundation Medicine is a molecular information company that uses comprehensive genomic profiling assays to understand genomic changes in each unique patient, and match them with treatment options and clinical trials.

Under the collaboration, these researchers use the FoundationOne assay for solid tumor, FoundationOne Heme for blood cancers, and FoundationACT for liquid biopsy. All of these comprehensive genomic profiling assays will be used to match eligible patients to clinical trials being conducted by Sarah Cannon.

“Our physicians are at the forefront of clinical research through our work with novel investigative therapies,” said Howard A. Burris, MD, president, clinical operations and chief medical officer, Sarah Cannon. “Clinical trials, particularly those where patients can be molecularly matched to a study, are an integral part of effectively treating many types of cancers and accelerating patient access to novel therapies. We're excited to collaborate with Foundation Medicine as we continue to enhance access to molecular information, which helps improve clinical care and inform research across our network.”

The research organization will also integrate Interactive Cancer Explorer, which is the Foundation Medicine’s physician support portal, across its network. The integration of Interactive Cancer Explorer will allow for clinic-genomic knowledge among researchers, and increase patient access to precision medicine, according to the press release.

Sarah Cannon and Foundation Medicine have entered into a master research program to develop research studies and clinical programs to determine the most beneficial use of the assays into clinical care.

The companies will also collaborate to creating training and educational programs to advance personalized medicine. They will work to advance Sarah Cannon’s Nurse Navigator Program, which allows nurses to manage a patient with cancer, and provide them with the optimal experience.

“Precision medicine in cancer can be achieved by innovating new ideas that accelerate patient access to novel compounds in development,” said Steven Kafka, president and chief operating officer for Foundation Medicine. “Together with Sarah Cannon, we believe we are in a unique position to eliminate roadblocks to patient access, to integrate genomics knowledge into clinical pathways and to extend that knowledge across the cancer care continuum to accelerate research and drive better outcomes for all patients.”