HCG announces new standard-of-care for cancer treatment in India

• Cancer treatment adapted for Indian genomic variations
• Affordable tests that improve precision treatment decisions and clinical outcomes in cancer care.

Bangalore, May 9, 2014 : Health Care Global ( HCG) Enterprises Ltd , The Specialists in Cancer Care, creates a new benchmark in cancer care by making genomics-based  diagnostics, a ‘standard-of-care’ for cancer treatment in India. These diagnostic tests will support physicians, and their patients with the most accurate and advancedtumor profiling of large number genes for “actionable” mutations. The information about these mutations helps to identify targeted therapies and treatment choicesearly in the course of cancer care.

Triesta Sciences, unit of HCG, is partnering for cancer genomics with StrandLifeSciences, a pioneer in the field of clinical genomics, to setup a new center for genomics called ‘Strand-TriestaCenterforCancerGenomics’ (Strand-Triesta) with the aim of making genomics based diagnostics effective, accessible and affordable. Strand-Triesta will enable the world’s largest adoption of genomics-based tumor profiling for HCG patients. HCG will lead the way by adopting the Strand-Triesta advanced cancer diagnostics as a new standard that defines the future of cancer care. The partnership will also bring to bear the respective strengths of bothorganizations: Triesta sciences and Strand – a global pioneer in new generation clinical diagnostics..

There is a rising healthcare burden of cancer in India with current estimates of a million cases of cancer being reported each year with mortality close to 500,000. It isexpected that the number of incidences of cancer will rise five-fold by 2025 thereby increasing the healthcare burden. Against this backdrop, the new ‘standard-of-care’would help meet the growing cancer ‘epidemic’ which the country is combating. The new standard-of-care aims to achieve new frontiers in medicine by introducingconcepts like ‘benchtobedsidevisio n’ wherein physicians and patients will have ready access to advanced innovation and discovery right at the bedside.

Sequencing of tumor using next generation sequencing (NGS) technologies, and thorough analysis of individual patient’s DNA variations will help physicians gobeyond a ‘one size fits all’ model of cancer therapy. Such personalized approaches will improve response rates and effectiveness of targeted, chemo- and radiationtherapies. Further, genomic tests can detect hereditaryriskinfamily members of cancer patients.

Dr. B S Aja i kumar, F o u n d e r , C h a i rm a n , HCG Enterprise , on this occasion, said “ HCG’s has been in the forefront in redefining cancer care. We will now incorporate genomic testing which is personalized and will be the future of cancer care. This w i l l h elp o n c ol o gi sts i n c l i ni c a l d ecisions a n d h elp o u r p a t i ents r eceive t a r g eted i n d i v i d ua l i z ed t h erapies t ha t w i l l i m p r o v e d i a g no s i s a n d p r o g n o sis o f c a n c er. We a r e pl eased t o p a r t n e r w i t h S t r an d L i f e S c i e n c es, w hi c h t h r o u g h i t s expertise w i l l o ffer c o m p r e h ensive genomic t ests for c an c er a n d o t h er g ermline c o n d i t i on s a t a ffordable r a t es t o ou r p a t i ents. T h r o ug h th is pa r t n e r ship b etween T r i esta S c i ences a n d S t r a n d L i fe S c i e n c es w e h o p e t o enhance the work done by multi- di sciplinary t eam o f eminent a n d established on c o l o gi sts. With this HCG joins a select group of advanced cancer care centers.”

A new generation healthcare innovation company, Strand, has a distinguished team of over 200 scientists and researchers working to create novel solutions ingenomics and personalized medicine. Strand has brought together the best-in-class computational and biological sciences to bring precision genomics to advanced clinical solutions for healthcare institutions. Strand Life Sciences has developed cost effective, next generation genomic tests, through a decade of R&D innovations.Further research on molecular profiles of patients will help establish new targets for the development of targeted cancer drugs, specifically for the Indian population.

Talking about this partnership, Dr. Vijay Chandru , Chairman & CEO, Strand Life Sciences said , “Strandiscommittedtoexpandingclinicalgenomicsasanewparadigmforclinicaldecision support.ThecomingtogetherofHCG, TriestaandStrandwillresultinachievingascaleofadoptionofgenomictesting,whichisunprecedentedevenintheWest.Thisscaleenablesaffordability,butmoreimportantly,themorecancergenomesweprofile,thedeepertheinsightsaboutcancerwegain.Deeperinsightsleadtoinformeddecisionsi ncancercare. ” CCI Newswire