AstraZeneca India and RGCI&RC Partner For Lung cancer testing
AstraZeneca Pharma India, a leading biopharmaceutical firm, has entered into a collaborative agreement with the Rajiv Gandhi Cancer Institute and Research Center (RGCI&RC) to establish a Center of Excellence (CoE) focusing on lung cancer testing. This center, to be based in RGCI&RC’s Delhi lab, aims to provide affordable, high-quality, Next-Generation Sequencing (NGS) molecular panel testing for eligible lung cancer patients in India.
This partnership will enable the RGCI&RC lab to provide a comprehensive 34 gene panel based NGS test at subsidized rates to eligible lung cancer patients. This panel will include significant biomarkers, providing crucial information to oncologists to administer the most suitable treatment to lung cancer patients. The collaboration between AstraZeneca and RGCI&RC is intended to increase access to NGS-based testing, thereby enabling more accurate treatment decisions for lung cancer patients.
Lung cancer treatment has seen substantial progress in the past ten years with the introduction of multiple actionable biomarkers used in personalized medicine, enhancing patients’ quality of life and overall survival. However, despite advances in NGS-based testing, access to high-quality and validated biomarker testing remains limited. As per the International Association for the Study of Lung Cancer, less than
half of the lung cancer patients worldwide received appropriate molecular testing in 2018.Dr. Ullas Batra of RGCI&RC spoke on the significant impact of NGS in treating non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), describing their commitment to affordable and accessible NGS for lung cancer as a game-changer in the era of precision medicine.
Dr. Sanjeev Panchal, AstraZeneca India’s Country President and Managing Director, emphasized their mission to transform cancer care in India. He explained that the collaboration with RGCI&RC will break down barriers in precision diagnostics and lung cancer treatment, helping healthcare professionals provide quicker, more accurate care. He expressed their shared vision of improving survival rates and quality of life through advanced technologies.
Dr. Col. (retired) Anurag Mehta from RGCI&RC discussed the role of NSCLC in precision oncology, detailing the establishment of molecular diagnostics in 2011 at RGCI, followed by the introduction of NGS panels in 2014. He noted the collaboration’s contribution towards making NGS testing affordable and accessible, reflecting their vision of “NGS for all.”
AstraZeneca India and RGCI&RC Partner For Lung Cancer Testing
