Partnership to leverage Caris’ market-leading molecular profiling offerings and enable broader research, increased pediatric trial opportunities and improved patient outcomes
IRVING, Texas, March 5, 2024 – Caris Life Sciences® (Caris), the leading next-generation AI TechBio company and precision medicine pioneer that is actively developing and delivering innovative solutions to revolutionize healthcare and improve the human condition using molecular science and AI, today announced an ongoing collaboration with the Beat Childhood Cancer Research Consortium, a group of over 50 universities and children’s hospitals, based at Penn State College of Medicine in Hershey, Pa., that offers a worldwide network of pediatric cancer clinical trials.
As part of the collaboration to advance precision oncology and biomarker-driven research, Caris is now the molecular analysis partner for Beat Childhood Cancer Research Consortium studies. By leveraging the comprehensive genomic, transcriptomic and proteomic profiling (whole exome/whole transcriptome sequencing) available through Caris molecular profiling, the research consortium is better enabled to optimize therapeutic options and determine which clinical trial opportunities will be potentially more beneficial for children being treated for cancer at member children’s hospitals, including Penn State Health Children’s Hospital.
“The field of pediatric precision oncology has been a leader in leveraging exome and transcriptome sequencing for guiding therapy and developing cutting-edge clinical trials,” said Milan Radovich, PhD, SVP and Chief Scientific Officer at Caris Life Sciences. “We’re excited to partner with the Beat Childhood Cancer Research Consortium to tailor treatment plans that utilize the latest targeted agents, vaccines, and cell-based therapeutics with the goal of improving outcomes for children with cancer.”
In addition to tumor sequencing for new or recurring pediatric cancer patients, Caris and the Beat Childhood Cancer Research Consortium will also collaborate on research opportunities striving to advance pediatric patient care and improve outcomes.
“The Beat Childhood Cancer Research Consortium is excited to collaborate with Caris to expand our precision medicine program. We believe that sequencing all patients tumors, as well as following circulating tumor DNA in the blood and molecular tumor board review, will improve the depth and accuracy of our patient care. This is an important step in the future of cancer care for children,” said Giselle Saulnier Sholler, MD, MSc, Chair of the Beat Childhood Cancer Research Consortium, the Division Chief of Pediatric Hematology and Oncology at Penn State Health Children’s Hospital and the Director of Pediatric Oncology Research at Penn State College of Medicine.
“Collaborations among clinicians, researchers, industry and the people most directly affected by pediatric cancer — our patients and their families — can produce incredible results,” said Dr. Yatin M. Vyas, Vice President and physician leader of Penn State Health Children’s, and Children’s Miracle Network and Four Diamonds Endowed Chair. “Precision Medicine is important in the future of pediatric cancer research and a focus that we have here at Penn State Health Children’s Hospital.”
“We’re very pleased to further our collaborations with lead entities and consortia in the pediatric oncology space,” said George W. Sledge, Jr., MD, EVP and Chief Medical Officer of Caris. “Beat Childhood Cancer’s mission and vision of eliminating cancers in pediatric patients is aligned with Caris’ goal of improving the outcomes of all patients affected with cancer. Through genomic and biomarker-driven research, we will achieve this important goal.”
The Beat Childhood Cancer Research Consortium has a proven track record of managing end-to-end, multi-site clinical trials, coordinated by Penn State College of Medicine in Hershey, Pa. The consortium has successfully opened 24 Phase I and II trials for pediatric cancer patients, including four Feasibility trials using molecular-guided therapy in children with relapsed cancer.
The science behind molecular profiling has made significant progress, and Caris’ extensive dataset – generated by examining every gene through the sequencing of hundreds of thousands of cancer patients over the past decade – is contributing to the understanding of the molecular composition of cancer, leading to more advanced, tailored and effective treatments.
About Caris Life Sciences
Caris Life Sciences® (Caris) is the leading next-generation AI TechBio company and precision medicine pioneer that is actively developing and delivering innovative solutions to revolutionize healthcare and improve the human condition using molecular science and AI. Through comprehensive molecular profiling (Whole Exome and Whole Transcriptome Sequencing) and the application of advanced AI and machine learning algorithms, Caris has created the large-scale, multi-modal database and computing capability needed to analyze and unravel the molecular complexity of disease. This convergence of sequencing power, big data and AI technologies provides an unmatched platform to deliver the next-generation of precision medicine tools for early detection, diagnosis, monitoring, therapy selection and drug development.
Headquartered in Irving, Texas, Caris has offices in Phoenix, New York, Cambridge (MA), Tokyo, Japan and Basel, Switzerland. Caris or its distributor partners provide services in the U.S., Europe, Asia and other international markets. To learn more, please visit CarisLifeSciences.com.
About Beat Childhood Cancer Research Consortium
The Beat Childhood Cancer Research Consortium is an international group of 50+ universities and children’s hospitals that offer a worldwide network of childhood cancer clinical trials coordinated through Penn State College of Medicine in Hershey, Pa. They have opened over 24 clinical trials based on the research from collaborating investigators who are linked with laboratory programs developing novel therapies for high-risk pediatric cancers. Their mission is to bring precision medicine and precision immunotherapy forward identifying novel therapies for children with cancer.
About Penn State Health/Penn State College of Medicine
Penn State Health and Penn State College of Medicine share a synergistic relationship as well as a campus in Hershey, Pa. The campus, comprised of Penn State Health Milton S. Hershey Medical Center and Penn State Health Children’s Hospital, is the only academic health system based in Central Pennsylvania between Pittsburgh and Philadelphia. Faculty from Penn State College of Medicine oversee the care of patients and offer translational research at Penn State Health Children’s Hospital offering advanced diagnostics, groundbreaking cancer treatments and understanding the fundamental causes of disease.