Perthera, Inc., Announces Partnership With Hope for Stomach Cancer Advocacy Organization

MCLEAN, Va., Feb. 14, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Perthera, Inc., a McLean, VA-based precision medicine company, announced its partnership with Hope for Stomach Cancer, a patient-focused 501(C)(3) nonprofit that provides support, resources, and awareness to those facing stomach cancer. Perthera's Precision Cancer Analysis (PCA) service will be available to all Hope for Stomach Cancer patients at no cost to them.

"We're hopeful that through this new program, stomach cancer patients can get a PCA so they can be treated with precision drugs more often," said Aki Smith, founder of Hope for Stomach Cancer.

PCA is a comprehensive molecular analysis of a patient's tumor, which leverages the expertise of various medical specialists, who work as partners on the patient's cancer care team. Each patient's biological makeup is examined against Perthera's proprietary databank, as well as by cancer specialists on Perthera's Virtual Molecular Tumor Board.

"Now more than ever, having detailed knowledge about the tumor's characteristics is critical in determining the patient's most effective treatment options, and this collaboration makes that a reality, regardless of the patient's geographical location," continued Smith.

Over the past several months, Perthera has built a relationship with Smith and her organization.

"We're very impressed with the way she founded the organization, how she's growing it, and her aggressive vision for the future. Hope for Stomach Cancer's program is another sign that precision medicine is morphing from its emerging technology stage into a very real and powerful cancer treatment component," said Andrew Mignatti, CEO, and president of Perthera.

In September 2016, Perthera and Hope for Stomach Cancer co-presented a web-based presentation on precision medicine and stomach cancer, led by Dr. Michael Pishvaian, Chief Medical Officer of Perthera. Following the well-attended conference, several stomach cancer patients began actively pursuing more information about Perthera's process.

Perthera also has relationships with the Pancreatic Cancer Action Alliance (PanCAN) and the Lung Cancer Alliance (LungMATCH). These partnerships help Perthera educate cancer patients about the benefits of precision medicine.

"While a patient's genomic makeup is a very significant part of the precision medicine analysis, it is hardly enough. For example, in addition to genomic analysis, patients who use the Hope for Stomach Cancer program will have proteomic testing so that protein level and protein activation level changes, which are often more relevant to treatment response, can be identified," continued Mignatti.

Learn more about this program at www.StoCAN.org.

ABOUT PERTHERA, INC.: Perthera is a founder- and growth fund-backed company founded in 2012 and based in McLean, VA, that has touched thousands of lives as it provides precision medicine benefits to cancer patients, their loved ones, and the entire cancer care ecosystem. Perthera leverages biological, computational and human information and expertise, through a growing family of integrated products and services. This currently includes: the Perthera Precision Cancer Analysis (PCA), the Perthera Precision Cancer Registry, the Perthera Precision Cancer Advocacy Services, the Perthera Precision Cancer Platform, the Perthera Precision Medicine Professional Services, and the Perthera Precision Medicine Pharmaceutical Services. Click on the links to learn more.

ABOUT HOPE FOR STOMACH CANCER: Hope for Stomach Cancer, a Los Angeles-based 501(C)(3), was founded by Aki Smith in December 2013 following her father's diagnosis of advanced-stage stomach cancer. Hope for Stomach Cancer provides resources to patients, care-givers, and loved ones while promoting early detection and prevention to the public and medical communities. "Hope" creates and facilitates programs that enable those affected by stomach cancer to take actionable steps and overcome each phase of this disease.

If you would like more information about Perthera, please contact Doug Poretz at 703-408-1880 or email at [email protected].

If you would like more information about Hope for Stomach Cancer, please contact Aki Smith, at 424-239-9943 or email at [email protected].

SOURCE Perthera, Inc.