MCLEAN, Va., Dec. 2, 2013 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The scientific and medical leaders of Personalized Cancer Therapy, Inc. (d.b.a. Perthera), a precision cancer therapy firm, know that every cancer is unique, even those that come from the same organ. Thus, treatment that is precisely tailored to each individual's cancer is essential for achieving the best treatment outcomes. Today, Perthera Chairman, Co-Founder and CEO Dendy Young, announced the formal launch of the company to provide new hope for fighting advanced-stage cancers.
In the last ten years, there has been a tremendous growth in the number of FDA-approved cancer therapies, particularly those that target specific molecular abnormalities in cancer cells. Patients and their doctors are realizing that these new therapies can be useful across different cancer types, and that cancers are becoming defined more by the driving molecular abnormalities, and less by the organ in which the cancer originated. Concurrently, the science of understanding which individuals should respond to which drugs has improved dramatically. Perthera's aim is to facilitate a broad-based molecular analysis of a patient's tumor, to help a patient and his/her oncologist understand which drug should work for them.
Perthera supplies a comprehensive service, including careful tissue collection and facilitating advanced multiplex molecular profiling to create a detailed, actionable analysis of a patient's unique cancer. The company's proprietary Perthera Expert System (PES) integrates the molecular profiling data with the patient's medical history, to generate a detailed summary. The summary is then analyzed by Perthera's medical review panel – consisting of disease-specific expert, board-certified oncologists who evaluate the summary, and make recommendations based on the latest and most effective treatment options available. Options may include new FDA drugs that the physician might not have chosen without multiplex testing, combination therapies, and/or participation in clinical trials if no appropriate FDA-approved therapy is identified. This review leads to a final report, the Perthera Analysis, which is tailored for each patient with recommendations for their oncologist.
In its detailed analysis, Perthera obtains a comprehensive molecular profile of a patient's tumor from genomic, proteomic, and phosphoproteomic perspectives. Emanuel F. Petricoin, III, PhD, co-founder and chief scientist of Perthera, explains the importance of this multiplex analysis: "Recent advances in understanding cancer epigenetics and somatic mutations confirm that cancer is not only driven by genomics, but also by errors in protein synthesis and activation. Only Perthera delivers an actionable personalized report to physicians and patients combining both genomic and proteomic analyses with the patient's personal medical history to guide treatment."
Perthera's personalized cancer therapy service can help in a variety of situations, including if patients have cancer that has spread to other organs; cancer that has not yet spread but is inoperable; rare forms of cancer, or if the tissue or organ of source is unknown. Perthera's individualized support also may help if the tumor has been removed but the cancer is very likely to return.
"We understand an oncologist's need to provide the most expedient diagnosis and the highest quality treatment during these critical, life-changing periods," says Michael Pishvaian, MD, PhD, chief medical officer and assistant professor in hematology/oncology at the Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center, Georgetown University. "This continually drives us to be comprehensive and scrupulously detailed in our approach to finding the best possible cancer treatment options – while providing a timely turnaround from referral to report," adds the chair of Perthera's medical review panel.
Perthera's professional team partners with oncologists and cancer care centers to follow treatment progress, providing the latest information on new therapy options and clinical trials. The company manages all logistics directly with each patient, including service reimbursement and payment plans, freeing up oncologists from administrative duties and coordination, so they can focus on providing quality patient care.
"The molecular profiling solution that Perthera provides is opening up new doors and giving more options for patients with advanced-stage cancer," says Frederick P. Smith, MD, board-certified oncologist in Chevy Chase, Md. "Perthera's service is particularly valuable in light of the ever-increasing number of cancer therapies available that may be more effective and less toxic. Based on the molecular profile results I've received and the analysis of their medical review panel, Perthera has helped me provide potentially better and less toxic treatment options for my patients."
"Hope has been identified as an essential resource in the lives of individuals with cancer, helping them to cope during times of uncertainty," offers Susan Pieper, BSN, MEd, chief development officer of Perthera. "Through our scientific analysis, Perthera helps bolster hope in patients and supports the tireless efforts of their oncologists in the ongoing fight against advanced cancers."
About Perthera
Based in McLean, Virginia, Personalized Cancer Therapy, Inc. (d.b.a. Perthera) offers a concierge service that helps oncologists identify the best treatment options for patients employing chemotherapy to fight cancer. The company uses targeted molecular testing and its proprietary Perthera Expert System of molecular cancer profiles to recommend the latest treatment therapies individualized for each patient and his or her physician. For more information, visit www.perthera.com, like us on Twitter, or follow us on Facebook.