Cancer Patients to See More Precise Oncology Treatment via Innovative Life Sciences Coalition

PHILADELPHIA, Aug. 13, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- GenoSpace, PathGroup and the IP & Science business of Thomson Reuters today announced an innovative initiative to develop and deliver a best-in-class personalized medicine service in oncology, the result of which will enable physicians to make more precise therapeutic recommendations for cancer patients.

This partnership combines resources, technology and expertise across the three organizations to integrate PathGroup's SmartGenomics™ Next Generation DNA Sequencing and Cytogenomic Array with traditional pathology assays, providing a unique window into disease and patient treatment options through genetic profiling.

"Collaboration is essential to deliver more precise medical solutions in today's Big Data environment," said Jon Brett-Harris, managing director, Thomson Reuters Life Sciences. "Our coalition with GenoSpace and PathGroup leverages each organization's unique assets, making significant improvements in treatment options for cancer patients."  

PathGroup's industry-leading anatomic, clinical and molecular pathology services are integrated with the unparalleled information on genes, variants and therapeutic implications from Thomson Reuters. These are then overlaid with GenoSpace's advanced analytical and information integration capabilities to place this diverse data into context. Oncologists will soon start receiving individualized reports that provide targeted information to help identify the best possible therapy for their patients.

"We have entered a new age of personalized medicine," said Ben Davis, MD, chairman, president and CEO of PathGroup. "It is one in which the unique genetic profile of each patient's tumor, placed in the context of their disease, can help physicians select treatment options and improve outcomes. The GenoSpace and Thomson Reuters contributions to our SmartGenomics analyses add a highly sophisticated tool to our pathologist's armamentarium in developing a patient genomic dossier."

"One challenge in personalized medicine is assuring that what the physicians see is the most accurate and up-to-date information," added Joseph Donahue, senior vice president of Thomson Reuters Life Sciences. "Thomson Reuters has always been focused on providing the most comprehensive information on genes and their functions, and we are delighted to be able to partner with PathGroup and GenoSpace to demonstrate how that information can be used to improve health care delivery."

John Quackenbush, Ph.D., CEO of GenoSpace, said, "The GenoSpace FullView™ and GenoSpace for Clinical™ platforms integrate the vast pathology resources available at PathGroup with sequence and array data and information, tying in the extensive knowledgebase available through Thomson Reuters, to deliver concise, relevant and actionable reports to oncologists in a format that they find useful in making treatment decisions. By bringing together the complementary strengths of each company, we will be able to provide a market-leading solution in personalized genomic medicine."

Learn more about PathGroup. Learn more about GenoSpace.

For more information about this coalition and how it is impacting oncology treatments, visit the Thomson Reuters Partner Ecosystem.

About PathGroup
Founded in 1965, PathGroup has evolved into a premier provider of anatomic, clinical and molecular pathology services. Privately held and physician centric, PathGroup works seamlessly with customers to provide superior diagnostic services – a vital link in the cycle of patient relationships.  PathGroup uses the latest in proprietary and industry standard technology to deliver fast, accurate results. The company provides clients with the highest quality of services available, consistently exceeding the expectations of physicians, employees, payers and most importantly, patients. One Lab; Total Service. For more information, visit www.pathgroup.com.

About GenoSpace
At GenoSpace, we are Digital Architects of Genomic Medicine™. GenoSpace is a Cambridge, Massachusetts-based company that has developed robust software systems for securely storing vast amounts of genomic and health data, and providing it in formats specific to its diverse user communities. GenoSpace for Clinical Care facilitates clinically actionable interpretation and report generation for precision medicine. GenoSpace for Research provides dynamic analysis, visualization and collaboration tools. GenoSpace for Patient Communities enables patient-centric exploration and advancement of personalized medicine. Please visit www.GenoSpace.com for more information.

About Thomson Reuters
Thomson Reuters is the world's leading source of intelligent information for businesses and professionals. We combine industry expertise with innovative technology to deliver critical information to leading decision makers in the financial and risk, legal, tax and accounting, intellectual property and science and media markets, powered by the world's most trusted news organization. With headquarters in New York and major operations in London and Eagan, Minnesota, Thomson Reuters employs approximately 60,000 people and operates in over 100 countries. For more information, go to www.thomsonreuters.com. 

SOURCE Thomson Reuters