Biomarker testing to help clinicians in Italy to make precision medicine innovation accessible based on the identification of molecular alterations for thyroid cancer patients
OncoDNA, a company specializing in precision medicine for the treatment of cancer and genetic diseases, and Eli Lilly Italia, a health care company delivering life-changing medicines, are proud to announce their partnership to facilitate access to biomarker testing and support the selection of the best therapy for thyroid cancer patients in Italy.
In this project, through the use of biomarker testing, oncologists and endocrinologists have had the opportunity to better understand the molecular complexity of their patients’ cancer and prescribe treatments that are tailored to their unique tumor molecular profile.
The partnership between Lilly and OncoDNA provides next-generation sequencing (NGS) molecular testing for thyroid cancer on tumor tissue biopsy to individuate treatable cancer biomarkers, by the identification of several gene alterations leading to potentially eligible patients for targeted therapies.
The management of thyroid cancer patients has recently evolved due to the availability of molecular genotyping techniques allowing the discovery of rare but targetable molecular abnormalities. New treatment options have become available, more effective and less toxic than the previously available multi-target kinase inhibitors.
“OncoDNA is extremely proud to have been selected by Lilly to broaden access to biomarker testing and deliver the promise of precision medicine for cancer patients in Italy. Our biomarker tests enable clinicians to outsmart the molecular complexity of each cancer and bring new oncology medicines to their patients living with thyroid cancer,” said Bernard Courtieu, CEO of OncoDNA. “We play a centralized role in the partnership. We are in charge of delivering tissue sample logistics, thyroid NGS testing services as well as patient-specific treatment recommendations through our proprietary database on the secured ONCOKDM PLATFORM.”
“After one year running the project, we have learned a lot about the key factors to make such initiative a success. As an example, receiving samples from hospitals located all around the country required a robust sample qualification process and allowed us to support the centers in achieving pre-analytical processes’ excellence.” said Michaël Herman, Global Molecular Oncology Liaison at OncoDNA. “But also, we have learned a lot about the genetic of the disease and, in this context, we are honored to ensure better use of new technologies in cancer testing, diagnosis and treatment, through the development and use of biomarkers. This centralized precision medicine offer al-lows access to innovation in a better deal for patients and a more sustainable approach to healthcare”.
ABOUT ONCODNA
OncoDNA is a genomic and theranostic company specializing in precision medicine for the treatment of cancer and genetic diseases. The company helps clinicians, academic researchers and biopharma companies to outsmart molecular complexity with the mission of delivering the promise of precision medicine. The company not only provides clinical guidance for the treatment and real-time monitoring of late stage cancer patients, but also supports research and drug development in cancer and genetic diseases. Since its early days in 2012, OncoDNA grew into a corporate group of companies with world-renown expertise. The Group offers a unique portfolio that combines NGS services, biomarker testing, data interpretation software, and clinical decision support tools. OncoDNA is headquartered in Belgium, and its entities – Biosequence and IntegraGen – are based in Spain, France and the United States. The Group employs over 100 employees across 9 countries, works with an international network of 35 distributors and collaborates with both European-based and US-based subcontracted accredited laboratories.
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ABOUT ELI LILLY ITALIA
LILLY ONCOLOGY
For more than 50 years, Lilly has been dedicated to finding medicines and forms of care that improve the lives of cancer patients and their caregivers. Lilly is committed to continuing this legacy by continuing to improve the lives of people with cancer around the world. For more information about Lilly’s commitment to fighting cancer, visit WWW.LILLYONCOLOGY.COM.
ELI LILLY AND COMPANY
Lilly is a leading global health care company that combines patient care with breakthroughs to create medicines that improve the lives of people around the world. Founded more than a century ago by a man determined to make high-quality medicines that meet real needs, the company remains true to this mission in everything it does. Around the world, Lilly people work to discover and make available to people in need life-changing medicines, to expand knowledge and improve disease management, and to contribute to the well-being of communities through philanthropy and volunteerism.
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MEDIA CONTACTS
Sandrine Rubay, External Communications & Marketing Officer (+32 71 183 500)
SARA AMORI, Communications and Advocacy Associate Director, Lilly Italy (+39 3355951632)
