NEW YORK (GenomeWeb) – Cancer Genetics today announced that it has entered into a research collaboration with the Moffitt Cancer Center in Tampa, Florida aimed at examining the influence of genetic variants on a patient's response to chemotherapy and other cancer-related treatments.
Cancer Genetics will integrate validated biomarkers from these studies into a comprehensive next-generation sequencing-based pharmacogenomics panel for clinical trials, which it plans to launch later this year, the firm said in a statement.
One study will look at variation in the genes involved in metabolism of drugs prescribed to prevent nausea and vomiting, with the goal of predicting which patients might suffer from those chemotherapy side-effects. Another study will assess genetic variation as it relates to a patient's response to prescription painkillers.
"Our collaboration with Moffitt Cancer Center is designed to develop new genomics insights and tools that can manage the many side effects associated with chemotherapy by tailoring the treatment regimen to individual patient response," Cancer Genetics VP of Global Scientific Operations Scott Clark said.
In October 2014 Cancer Genetics signed a deal with Columbia University to identify biomarkers for a class of bone marrow cancers.