4baseCare has announced a partnership with AstraZeneca India to advance cancer care in India. The two organisations will collaborate to provide targeted therapy options for advanced-stage cancer patients using low-cost genomic solutions.
Most of these tests were previously unavailable locally and had to be imported, increasing the cost of treatment. AstraZeneca and 4baseCare will collaborate with the oncologist community to support a large number of patients by providing these services locally and at a low cost, ultimately increasing the chances of identifying optimal treatment options and improving clinical outcomes.
According to an ICMR report on the ‘Burden of Cancers in India,’ seven cancers accounted for more than 40% of the total disease burden, with lung and breast cancer being the most common. The number of cancer patients in India is expected to rise from 26.7 million in 2021 to 29.8 million in 2025. Given current technological advancements, patients have the opportunity to benefit significantly from various new age strategies such as ‘Precision Oncology.’ It aids in the provision of targeted therapy to patients by determining which drugs would work best on which patient based on the unique biology of the patient’s disease. Genomics-based molecular profiling is the bedrock of targeted therapy and has proved to be a life-saving diagnostics tool as it helps identify the best medical intervention path while treating a patient.
According to Hitesh Goswami, CEO of 4baseCare, “every year, 15 lakh new cancer patients are diagnosed, and more than 60% have advanced-stage cancer that can benefit from targeted therapy.” The vision of 4baseCare is to make comprehensive genomic profiling as affordable and accessible as an MRI or PET scan. This technology has the potential to guide and personalise cancer treatment for every advanced-stage patient.”
“This will take us a step closer to strengthening the oncology ecosystem in the country, thereby providing potential opportunities for significantly improving long-term outcomes,” says Dr. Anil Kukreja, Vice President – Medical Affairs and Regulatory, AstraZeneca India.
