University Hospital Basel Institute of Pathology Established as Thermo Fisher Scientific Center of Excellence Partner

Thermo Fisher Scientific has signed an agreement with the Institute of Medical Genetics and Pathology at University Hospital Basel, Switzerland, to establish the leading institution as the first partner in the Next Generation Sequencing Companion Dx Center of Excellence Program, a new initiative designed to develop and refine Thermo Fisher’s NGS-based research assays from its OncomineTM oncology portfolio with the intent to eventually introduce them into the clinic as companion diagnostics.

As part of the agreement, both organizations will work together to form global alliances and strategic partnerships with biopharma groups and others in an effort to accelerate oncology and immune-oncology trials. Additionally, the Institute of Medical Genetics and Pathology, managed by Markus Tolnay, MD, will serve as one of the NGS Companion Dx Center of Excellence Program’s global sites focused on conducting research and validation of Thermo Fisher’s Oncomine NGS portfolio of products.

“The Institute of Medical Genetics and Pathology at University Hospital Basel is proud to partner with Thermo Fisher Scientific as a Center of Excellence during this pivotal moment in time when scientific research is at the cusp of potentially making a real difference in how cancer can be addressed in the 21st century,” said Tolnay. “Through this agreement, we are confident that together we will make great strides to accelerate clinical trial enrollments and develop novel solutions that will benefit hospitals and the patients they serve in the future.”

The Institute of Medical Genetics and Pathology at University Hospital Basel is one of the leading diagnostic centers in Switzerland - with thousands of samples already profiled using NGS - and part of the Swiss Excellence Forum, a strategic influencer of Swiss pathology and diagnostic strategy. The close partnership between the Institute, which is part of the oldest university in Switzerland, Thermo Fisher, and a multidisciplinary team of pathologists, will enable discovery and innovations that will benefit from Basel’s rich life science and pharmaceutical research environment.

Thermo Fisher’s growing Oncomine-branded portfolio of targeted NGS-based cancer research assays will serve as the central toolbox from which Tolnay’s lab and its collaborators will carry out Center of Excellence related activities in companion diagnostic NGS development.

“Demand for novel technologies that can one day reduce testing times and provide accurate answers for oncologists and patients is driving the development of targeted NGS-based solutions to support precision medicine,” said Mark Stevenson, president of Life Sciences Solutions for Thermo Fisher Scientific. “We are committed to being the industry’s partner of choice in this effort and Thermo Fisher will continue to forge new strategic alliances with leading global organizations that share our vision of a healthier world.”