The University of Chicago Medicine Comprehensive Cancer Center joins Caris’ extensive network of leading cancer institutions committed to utilizing clinical data to advance patient care and outcomes
IRVING, Texas, March 8, 2023 – Caris Life Sciences® (Caris), the leading molecular science and technology company actively developing and delivering innovative solutions to revolutionize healthcare, announced today that the University of Chicago (UChicago) Medicine Comprehensive Cancer Center has joined the Caris Precision Oncology Alliance™ (POA). The POA is a growing network of leading cancer centers across the globe that collaborate to advance precision oncology and biomarker-driven research. POA members work together to establish and optimize standards of care for molecular testing through innovative research focused on predictive and prognostic markers that improve the clinical outcomes for cancer patients.
The UChicago Medicine Comprehensive Cancer Center includes more than 200 cancer specialists who offer innovative treatments, leading-edge research and clinical trials not available elsewhere in the Midwest. UChicago Medicine scientists study disease at the molecular level and clinical researchers apply the knowledge discovered in the institution’s laboratories to create and test promising new cancer treatments and procedures. The academic health system’s physician-scientists also specialize in cancer control, prevention and population research while implementing new approaches to screening and prevention. The institution is one of two NCI-designated comprehensive cancer centers in Illinois and a key part of its mission is community research to eliminate health disparities between ethnic and social groups.
“As home to a National Cancer Institute-designated Comprehensive Cancer Center, UChicago Medicine is excited to join colleagues across the country in this collaborative effort to advance precision medicine,” said Walter M. Stadler, M.D., Senior Advisor to the Director of the UChicago Medicine Comprehensive Cancer Center and Dean for Clinical Research. “We look forward to working with colleagues throughout the country to translate genomic data into better care for cancer patients here in Chicago and around the world.”
“We are excited to welcome the UChicago Medicine Comprehensive Cancer Center to the growing Precision Oncology Alliance network,” said Chadi Nabhan, M.D., MBA, FACP, Chairman of the Caris Precision Oncology Alliance. “As a former UChicago Medicine faculty member, I know firsthand the dedication its physicians and researchers have to providing the most advanced and innovative therapies available to their patients. Our missions are the same – to improve the outcomes of all patients suffering from cancer through precision medicine.”
The Caris Precision Oncology Alliance includes 79 cancer centers and academic institutions. These institutions have early access to the extensive database and artificial intelligence platform within Caris to establish evidence-based standards for cancer profiling and molecular testing in oncology. By leveraging the comprehensive genomic, transcriptomic and proteomic profiling available through Caris molecular profiling, Caris seeks to provide this network with the ability to prioritize therapeutic options and determine which clinical trial opportunities may benefit their patients. POA members are also able to integrate with a growing portfolio of biomarker directed trials sponsored by biopharma. Additionally, as a member of the POA, institutions have access to Caris CODEai™, the most comprehensive data solution in the industry with cancer treatment information and clinical outcomes data for over 350,000 patients covering over 1 million data points per patient.
About Caris Life Sciences
Caris Life Sciences® (Caris) is the leading molecular science and technology company actively developing and delivering innovative solutions to revolutionize healthcare and improve patient outcomes. Through comprehensive molecular profiling (Whole Exome and Whole Transcriptome Sequencing) and the application of advanced artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning algorithms, Caris has created the large-scale clinico-genomic database and cognitive computing needed to analyze and unravel the molecular complexity of disease. This information provides an unmatched resource and the ideal path forward to conduct the basic, fundamental research to accelerate discovery for detection, diagnosis, monitoring, therapy selection and drug development to improve the human condition.
With a primary focus on cancer, Caris’ suite of market-leading molecular profiling offerings assesses DNA, RNA and proteins to reveal a molecular blueprint that helps patients, physicians and researchers better detect, diagnose and treat patients. The company’s latest advancement, Caris Assure™, is a blood-based, circulating nucleic acids sequencing (cNAS) assay that combines comprehensive molecular analysis (Whole Exome and Whole Transcriptome Sequencing from blood) and serial monitoring – making it the most powerful liquid biopsy assay ever developed.
Headquartered in Irving, Texas, Caris has offices in Phoenix, New York, Tokyo, Japan and Basel, Switzerland. Caris or its distributors provide services in the U.S., Europe, Asia and other international markets. To learn more, please visit CarisLifeSciences.com or follow us on LinkedIn.
About the University of Chicago Medicine Comprehensive Cancer Center
The mission of the University of Chicago Medicine Comprehensive Cancer Center is to discover the determinants of cancer, develop novel therapies for cancer, and prevent cancer through innovative and collaborative research, compassionate patient care, education, and community engagement. The UChicago Medicine Cancer Center has been listed in U.S. News & World Report as one of “America’s Best Hospitals” for cancer since 1999. Learn more at www.uchicagomedicine.org/cancer.