Fox Chase Cancer Center says it will work with N-of-One, a provider of molecular interpretation and therapeutic strategies for personalized cancer care, to provide analysis treatment recommendations for advanced-stage cancer patients who have undergone genome sequencing and testing at Fox Chase.

The agreement follows Fox Chase’s June 2011 establishment of its Cancer Genome Institute to provide patients a personal, sophisticated analysis of 45 cancer-related genes in their tumors, providing the doctors that treat them a unique profile of genetic mutations and potential treatment targets.

As whole tumor and even whole genome sequencing moves to the clinic, the next challenge to overcome is what to do with all those As, Ts, C, and Gs. Translating the sequence information to a treatment plan depends on a physician’s ability to stay current on all clinical trials, adverse side effects, data on approved and investigational therapies, and the latest basic cancer research publications. That’s asking a lot, and that’s where N-of-One hopes to make a difference.

Armed with large amounts of tumor-specific mutation data, the new collaboration will help Fox physicians better treat their patients by providing a molecular interpretation of the data as well as therapeutic strategies for personalized cancer treatment and care. The N-of-One platform can incorporate sequence data from any advanced sequencer or bioinformatics system, independent of technology, making it useful to clinical researchers and their patients regardless of the particular sequencing equipment used.

“We are proud to be at the leading edge of this movement and excited to be partnering with N-of-One to provide the latest and most comprehensive clinical knowledge available to our patients,” says Jeff Boyd, executive director of the Cancer Genome Institute at Fox Chase. To do this, N-of-One will analyze the molecular profile and genetic mutations of each patient’s cancer and deliver a comprehensive treatment strategy, including information on approved and investigational therapies.

Together with data on 45 genes, the N-of-One PrecisionWorks analysis platform integrates a molecular knowledge database, informatics tools for data mining, the ability to synthesize new biomedical information, all together with logistical recommendations to streamline coordination among health care providers, diagnostic companies, drug and technology innovators, and payers. In addition, the company has created a global network of oncologists, researchers, and other experts to provide current insights related to cancer biology and molecular tests and therapies, whose knowledge and expertise is integrated into the platform. Financial terms of the partnership were not disclosed.

“We believe that providing access to the latest data-driven knowledge and resources from the cancer field enables oncologists and cancer centers to be leaders in a competitive health care environment,” says Jennifer Levin Carter, founder and chief medical officer of N-of-One. The hope is that this will assure patients they are getting the best possible care at a most critical time.