Genomic Testing for Cancers
By: Rapid Access International, Inc.
February 2019
To set the stage for what is a rather complex topic of genomics and its impact on cancer treatment, weturn to the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute in Boston Massachusetts. The following is taken from an article
entitled “Understanding Genomics and Cancer”1:
If the new era of “targeted” cancer drugs and personalized treatments for patients realizes its
promise, the power of genomics will get a lot of the credit…
What is genomics?
Most people know that genetics is the study of genes and how they affect health and disease,and it’s been said that that cancer is a disease of genes. Today, that’s been amended – cancer isa disease of the genome – the entire complement of human DNA. “Genomics” is the bigger
picture; it looks at how combinations of many genes, non-gene DNA, and environmental factors
interact to cause disease. The human genome consists of about 20,000 genes (plus a lot ofgenetic material of unknown function) which carry the DNA code for making proteins andoperating the processes of life. The study of genomics really started with the complete
deciphering of the human genome in 2003.
How is genomics used in cancer research and treatment?
Normal cells form tumors when they are spurred into endless, runaway growth by changes tothe DNA in their genome. Mutations, broken chromosomes, missing or excess DNA segments –these have all been linked to cancer development and how a tumor behaves. Genomic methods
can identify patterns of abnormalities that help diagnose a cancer, and these patterns – calledtumor profiles – can now be used, in some cases, to select targeted drugs that are likely to beeffective against that particular tumor profile.
Cancer Genomics
Much research has and continues to focus on the causes of cancer through the analysis of cancer
genomes to “map their ‘landscapes’ of alterations compared to normal cells.2 At this point, many
important gene mutations that drive various cancers, including brain tumors, ovarian cancer, breast
cancer, leukemia, lymphoma, etc., have been identified through DNA sequencing (“a letter-by-letter
reading of the genetic code in a cancer genome”).3
Genomic Testing and Treatment

1"Understanding Genomics and Cancer". InSight, from Dana-Farber Cancer Institute. April 25, 2014. Available at:https://blog.dana-farber.org/insight/2014/04/understanding-genomics-and-cancer/. Accessed on February 28,2019.
2Ibid.
3Ibid.

In recent years, this prevalence of research has created a pool of data that can be utilized for genomic
testing and determination of the best course of treatment for cancer patients. This new approach has
been pioneered by companies like Foundation Medicine, which has steadily evolved their range oftesting capabilities in its relatively short history.
Foundation Medicine
Based in Cambridge, Massachusetts, Foundation Medicine, Inc. develops, manufactures, and sells
genomic testing solutions for cancers. The company launched in 2010 with a $24 million Series A
financing by Third Rock Ventures. It has since expanded its portfolio of testing solutions with Swissdrugmaker Roche acquiring a 56.3% stake in the company for $1.03 billion in 2015.4 In June, Roche
acquired the rest of Foundation Medicine for $2.4 billion; valuing the company last year at $5.3 billion5.
Foundation Medicine has worked directly with physicians, as well as through its many biopharma
partners to analyze patient samples. The company reports on its website that it has profiled over
200,000 patients and it has over 30 biopharma partners.6
These more than 200,000 genomic profiles include information on 150 subtypes of cancer, comprisingwhat is known as the company’s FoundationCore database. Much of this data has been released in theform of anonymized records to the National Cancer Institute’s Genomic Data Commons portal.
All the while, Foundation Medicine’s testing capabilities have steadily evolved to handle a full range ofsample types; the latest of which was launched in the fall season of 2018.
This company is uniquely positioned to support personalized and targeted medical treatment throughthe use of its pioneering genomic testing capabilities and data services that help pharmaceuticalcompanies to develop and test new personalized medicines.

4

Winslow, Ron. "Roche Holding to Pay $1.03 Billion for Diagnostics-Firm Stake". The Wall Street Journal. January
12, 2015. Available at: https://www.wsj.com/articles/roche-holding-to-pay-1-03-billion-for-diagnostics-firm-stake1421042401. Accessed on February 28, 2019.
5Shields M, Hirschler B. "Roche pays $2.4 billion for rest of cancer expert Foundation Medicine". Reuters. June 19,
2018. Available at: https://uk.reuters.com/article/us-roche-hldg-m-a-fmi/roche-pays-2-4-billion-for-rest-ofcancer-expert-foundation-medicine-idUKKBN1JF0F3. Accessed on February 28, 2019.
6Foundation Medicine Website. About Section. Available at: https://www.foundationmedicine.com/about.
Accessed on February 28, 2019.