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Molecular Profiling Institute CEO Addresses the Seventeenth Annual Cancer Progress Conference in NYC on How Genomics Can Individualize Patient Care in Oncology
PHOENIX, March 3, 2006 - Dr. Robert Penny, Chief Executive Officer & President of The Molecular Profiling Institute (Molecular Profiling), will be speaking at the prestigious Seventeenth Annual Cancer Progress Conference being hosted at the Yale Club in New York City on March 7-8, 2006.
This hallmark conference is directed to executives in the pharmaceutical, biotechnology and investment communities and provides critical and timely updates on the status of important cancer research and clinical developments, as well as important issues and technologies impacting the industry. The conference will draw between 150-200 top executives from the pharmaceutical, biotechnology and investment community.
Dr. Penny's presentation, that will address Molecular Profiling's evolving contribution to cancer diagnostics will be entitled, "A Bird's Eye View of How Genomics Can Individualize Patient Care in Oncology".
Dr. Penny states, "Increased understanding of the molecular basis of disease is driving a greater degree of individualization of patient care through diagnosis, prognosis, and treatment strategies. Science from genomics is impacting patient care and is picking up speed as it refines the care of oncology patients from initial presentation to late stage disease."
"Eventually, the majority of oncology patients with metastatic disease run out of treatment options. Progression on standard front line and second line therapies leaves limited options. These patients can enter into phase I and phase II trials for new anti-cancer agents if they meet strict criteria. Standard response rates for a phase I trial are in the range of 5-10% and up to 12% in a phase II setting. There has been an acceleration of targeted therapies aimed at cell surface receptors or related to amplified or up-regulated gene products. Molecular characterization of a patient's tumor for potential treatment targets and associated agents to those targets can provide the opportunity to intervene with novel agents. We are launching a prospective trial to ascertain if the selection of treatment(s) based on targets identified from a patient's molecular profile on their cancer yields better outcomes than treating patients without a molecular profile on their cancer."
"We believe this is an important time in medicine to drive standardization and accelerate discovery through genomics for future patient benefits. We have created a clinically annotated gene expression national cancer public database, expO (www.intgen.org) and a biorepository to help address these needs. expO is designed free of intellectual property restriction to be a foundation for additional public databases that would augment this effort. Currently we have procured over 6,000 biosamples and released 710 clinically annotated gene expression analyses available on GEO."
A list of other major corporations, organizations and institutions that will be represented include: The Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Research, Merrill Lynch, Inc., Genentech, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Novartis, Bristol-Myers Squibb, Pfizer, Gene Network Sciences, Dana Farber Cancer Institute, Yale Cancer Center, AstraZeneca, Infinity Pharmaceuticals, Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center, Columbia University, The Mattson Jack Group, USC, Johnson and Johnson, Georgetown Medical Center, Amgen.
About The Molecular Profiling Institute - Molecular Profiling is a CLIA certified specialty reference laboratory that helps cancer patients worldwide by applying the discoveries of the Human Genome Project to personalized medicine. Molecular Profiling provides cutting-edge testing facilities, products, and resources for genomic and proteomic profiling and treatment of cancers and pharmaceutical services to identify populations that may respond to targeted therapies. Molecular Profiling has strategic relationships with the Translational Genomics Research Institute (TGen), the International Genomics Consortium (IGC), Scottsdale Healthcare, and AmeriPath Inc.
About IGC - IGC is a non-profit medical research foundation established to expand upon the discoveries of the Human Genome Project and other systematic sequencing efforts by combining world-class genomic research, bioinformatics, and diagnostic technologies in the fight against cancer and other complex genetic diseases. IGC serves numerous common, unmet needs including: the standardization of the collection of properly consented tissues of interest, the molecular characterization of these tissues, and standardization in the representation of these results. IGC facilitates the transition of genomic discoveries to improve patient care and increase the speed in which new diagnostic, prognostic and predictive testing, and new drug and treatment regimens are developed. IGC's web address is www.intgen.org
Contact
Robert Penny, MD, PhD
(602) 358 8902
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