Pancreatic Cancer to Be Target of Arizona Research Effort

Two US biomedical organizations based in the state of Arizona have agreed to combine their expertise to discover and develop diagnostic markers for detecting and treating cancer.

The partnership comprises Ventana Medical Systems, Inc. (Tucson, AZ, USA), a member of the Roche Group (Basel, Switzerland) and the Translational Genomics Research Institute (Phoenix, AZ, USA). Ventana Medical Systems manufactures instruments and reagents that automate tissue processing and slide staining for cancer diagnostics, while the Translational Genomics Research Institute is a nonprofit research institute that supports and promotes research on neurological disorders, cancer, and diabetes.

The first target is expected to be pancreatic cancer. This disease, which affects more than 213,000 new patients each year worldwide, has the worst survival rate of any cancer. Fewer than 25% of patients survive more than a year after being diagnosed, and less than 6% are still alive after five years.

"The Translational Genomics Research Institute is on the cutting edge of translational research, where investigators discover the genetic components of disease," said Dr. Jeffrey Trent, president and research director of The Translational Genomics Research Institute. "Our goal is to rapidly translate basic research findings into actionable targets. Partnering with Ventana we hope will accelerate our goal to deliver meaningful discoveries to cancer patients today."

"When a patient is faced with cancer, getting an accurate diagnosis quickly is the most important part of their treatment," said Mara G. Aspinall, president and CEO of Ventana. "As the global leader in tissue-based cancer diagnostics, our strength is moving research into the clinic in order to improve the lives of all patients afflicted with cancer. We are thrilled to be able to pursue this with a partner right in our Arizona backyard."

Related Links:
Ventana Medical Systems, Inc.
The Roche Group
The Translational Genomics Research Institute