Wilmot Cancer Institute Joins OmniSeq Genomic Network
UR Medicine’s Wilmot Cancer Institute is joining the OmniSeq Genomic Network, an organization of institutions being formed to help define the future of advanced genomic diagnostics for cancer. Through this network, Wilmot and Roswell Park Cancer Institute (RPCI) in Buffalo — the state’s two largest cancer care and research institutions outside New York City — will collaborate and expand genomic testing for cancer across the Finger Lakes and western New York region. The network, which will create a database of genomic profiles of tumors, will also provide opportunities for research.
Using genomic diagnostics, physicians can examine the genetic makeup of cancer cells and identify mutations or other unique characteristics that can be matched with therapies known to be effective in treating such tumors. This ability to sequence a tumor’s genome will allow physicians to more accurately distinguish types of cancers and potentially identify new subtypes of cancer based on their genetic profiles. This means that cancers can be treated more effectively and with less toxicity to patients.
“Wilmot and Roswell Park have a history of collaborating on cancer research, and through this network, we now will work together with other institutions to improve cancer care and pioneer this precision medicine technology for patients in our region,” said Jonathan W. Friedberg, M.D., M.M.Sc., director of Wilmot Cancer Institute. “Genomics is fundamentally changing our understanding of cancer, and this collaborative network will not only allow us to make advances in the clinic but also to gain new insights into the biology of cancer.”
“Our participation in the OmniSeq Network extends our collaboration with the University of Rochester Medical Center in a wonderful new direction by making OmniSeq testing – a homegrown Western New York innovation – available to cancer patients across the region,” said Candace S. Johnson, Ph.D., president and CEO of Roswell Park Cancer Institute.
Members of the OmniSeq Genomic Network will use OmniSeq Target, a diagnostic test developed by the Roswell Park Center for Personalized Medicine, to analyze cancer-associated genes found in a patient’s tumor. Through the network, they will be able to develop a database of tumors’ genomic profiles, which therapies were used and the outcomes of treatment, in some cases. With this information, the members of the network will help advance genomics in cancer care. In addition, researchers will be able to analyze the data to learn more about cancer genomes and the influence of gene mutations.
OmniSeq LLC, a company formed in 2015 to commercialize the test, will offer OmniSeq Target and related services nationwide. OmniSeq Target will initially be used for non-small-cell lung cancers, the most common kind of lung cancer. The test will look at the 15 genes related to lung cancer and identify mutations for which there is an approved drug, an experimental drug or a drug for another cancer that can be used.
“Membership in the OmniSeq Genomic Network, which unites the resources and talents of outstanding institutions, will enable deeper, more clinically focused interaction between Wilmot and Roswell Park, magnifying the impact and reach of their efforts,” said Carl Morrison, M.D., DVM, Executive Director of the Center for Personalized Medicine at Roswell Park and President, Chief Scientific Officer and Founder of OmniSeq LLC. “Such collaboration is at the heart of the OmniSeq Genomic Network, which puts state-of-the-art tools and information in the hands of oncologists to give patients the best possible care.”
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About Wilmot Cancer Institute: UR Medicine’s Wilmot Cancer Institute is the Finger Lakes region’s leader for cancer care and research. As a component of Strong Memorial Hospital, Wilmot Cancer Institute provides specialty cancer care services at the University of Rochester Medical Center and a network of locations throughout the region. The Institute also includes a team of 100 scientists who investigate many aspects of cancer, with an emphasis on how best to provide precision cancer care. To learn more, visit wilmot.urmc.edu.
About Roswell Park Cancer Institute: The mission of Roswell Park Cancer Institute (RPCI) is to understand, prevent and cure cancer. Founded in 1898, RPCI is one of the first cancer centers in the country to be named a National Cancer Institute-designated comprehensive cancer center and remains the only facility with this designation in Upstate New York. The Institute is a member of the prestigious National Comprehensive Cancer Network, an alliance of the nation’s leading cancer centers; maintains affiliate sites; and is a partner in national and international collaborative programs. For more information, visit www.roswellpark.org, call 1-877-ASK-RPCI (1-877-275-7724) or email askrpci@roswellpark.org. Follow Roswell Park on Facebook and Twitter.
About OmniSeq, LLC: OmniSeq, LLC was established in June 2015 as a for-profit company created from the Center for Personalized Medicine at Roswell Park Cancer Institute (RPCI). OmniSeq offers a suite of innovative products that support a physician-driven, collaborative approach to genomic diagnostics for cancer. The OmniSeqSM Precision Medical Technology platform provides institutions with the first-ever fusion of clinical genomics and a comprehensive information technology solution that delivers easy access to actionable insights about a patient’s tumor genetics and available treatment options. Headquartered in Buffalo, OmniSeq offers services in the U.S. For more information, visit www.omniseq.com.
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