MedStar Health Collaborates With Indivumed to Advance Precision Oncology Research

HAMBURG, Germany, August 2, 2017 /PRNewswire/ --

Indivumed is pleased to announce a collaboration with MedStar Health to individualize anti-cancer medical therapies through state-of-the-art biospecimen collection, preservation and analysis.

Indivumed, a Germany-based oncology research company has developed a unique global standard for tissue and clinical data collection, establishing the leading cancer database which provides a unique basis for developing precision medicine in cancer.

MedStar cares for thousands of cancer patients and survivors through the MedStar Health Cancer Network. In collaboration with the MedStar Health Research Institute, MedStar is increasing biospecimen collection started nearly a decade ago at Georgetown University's Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center. Over the term of the agreement, the cancer biobank will encompass MedStar's most active cancer programs throughout the system to partner with Indivumed's global annotated cancer biobank of human tumor tissue samples used to develop anti-tumor drugs and personalized medicine for cancer.

This international partnership will allow MedStar researchers to access highest quality biospecimens and associated clinical data contributed by consenting patients. In addition, MedStar cancer researchers will have access to samples contributed by more than 30,000 patients within Indivumed's global cancer database operating within Europe, Asia and the United States.

"Attaining individualized cancer diagnosis and treatment for every patient based on reliable clinical data and molecularly intact biospecimens is our goal," said Hartmut Juhl, M.D., founder and CEO of Indivumed, and a cancer researcher. "Our tool for achieving this goal is the establishment of a unique global cancer database using molecular information from tissues collected under stringent protocols. MedStar Health brings a special blend of clinical care, research and patient outreach within the largest hospital network in the Mid-Atlantic Region. Our long-standing partnership with Georgetown's Lombardi Cancer Center has made possible our expanded commitment to partner throughout the MedStar System. By building a biobank together, we can make a dramatic difference in phenotype-based precision medicine worldwide," Juhl went on to say.

"By participating in the Indivumed global network, we'll have access to a critical mass of biological samples and clinical data for use in unique research for our community," said Neil Weissman, MD, President of the MedStar Health Research Institute. "Indivumed is a world leader in tissue collection and preservation and will expand our ability to conduct metabolic, as well as gene-based, cancer research."

MedStar's Cancer Network has recently been granted a three-year accreditation with Commendation from the Commission on Cancer (CoC) of the American College of Surgeons (ACoS). In addition, the Georgetown University Lombardi Cancer Center holds the distinction of being a National Cancer Institute-designated Comprehensive Cancer Center, the only cancer center in the Washington area with such distinction. Louis M. Weiner, MD, director of Georgetown Lombardi and Director of MedStar's integrated cancer network stated firmly that, "the MedStar Cancer Network and Georgetown Lombardi are committed to delivering the highest standards of care and providing access to the most current cutting-edge research for our patients suffering from this horrendous disease."  Weiner continued, "the Indivumed cancer biobank has been and will continue to be a critical asset to our physicians and researchers in their quest to defeat cancer."

Under an initial multi-year agreement, MedStar will collect lung, breast, colorectal, pancreatic and other cancer tissues at its most active cancer programs throughout the system for research and storage according to Indivumed's unique biobanking standard. Tissue collection at Georgetown Lombardi will continue pursuant to Georgetown University's existing agreement with Indivumed.  

About Indivumed GmbH  

INDIVUMED an ISO certified global oncology research company based in Hamburg, Germany, has established the world's leading Cancer Database and biobank, retaining unique patterns of biomolecules such as RNA, DNA, and proteins as they existed in the human body. This Cancer Database makes possible multi-omics capabilities that will allow for characterization of samples and data such as whole genome gene expression analysis, expression analysis of cancer relevant proteins, expression analysis of cancer relevant phosphoproteins and bioinformatic solutions for integrating molecular, biological and clinical information. 

Indivumed's products and services allow for in-depth understanding of the underlying mechanisms of a patient's cancer, addressing important demands in translational research and molecular diagnostics to support implementation of personalized healthcare. 

For more information, please visit http://www.indivumed.com

About MedStar Health 

MedStar Health is a not-for-profit health system dedicated to caring for people in Maryland and the Washington, D.C. region, while advancing the practice of medicine through education, innovation and research. MedStar's 30,000 associates, 6,000 affiliated physicians, 10 hospitals, ambulatory care and urgent care centers, and the MedStar Health Research Institute are recognized regionally and nationally for excellence in medical care. As the medical education and clinical partner of Georgetown University, MedStar trains more than 1,100 medical residents annually. MedStar Health's patient-first philosophy combines care, compassion and clinical excellence with an emphasis on customer service. For more information, visit http://www.MedStarHealth.org.

Contact:
Hartmut Juhl, MD
Founder and Chief Executive Officer
Indivumed GmbH
Tel.: +49-40-413383-0
press@indivumed.com