Latest news with #Omico
Sydney Morning Herald
14-06-2025
- Health
- Sydney Morning Herald
Beth's time ‘could have been extremely short'. A new approach to cancer treatment is giving her hope
However, about one in four of the people who might benefit end up accessing the matched therapy, with some missing out due to poor health, and others due to a lack of access to clinical trials. Omico has focused on bringing more trials into Australia and distributing them through regional and rural areas, as well as major cities, Thomas said. A total of 24,536 Australians with advanced, incurable or early-onset cancers with poor outcomes have participated in Omico initiatives. More than 2600 patients have accessed treatment (84 per cent through clinical trials) after undergoing CGP. 'We have countless stories of people who were not told to get their affairs in order, who have [instead] been able to go back to work and support their families … look after their families,' said Thomas, a medical oncologist who was diagnosed with advanced prostate cancer two years ago, just before Omico's Precision Oncology Screening Platform Enabling Clinical Trials (PrOSPeCT) – Australia's largest genomic profiling program – got under way. '[We're] not eking out a little more time with low-quality life, but actually allowing some people to go back to normal life and contribute to society.' The organisation's ultimate goal is for affordable precision oncology to become part of routine cancer care and to improve outcomes for all patients by leveraging partnerships with government, pharmaceutical and medtech industries, researchers and clinicians. 'The vast majority of patients are under no illusions [about their prognosis] … but they also want to know that the system doesn't just shut up shop and say: 'I'm sorry, the cookbook recipes have run out. We can't do anything more',' Thomas said. Patients with rare cancers or cancers of unknown primary site have the most to gain from routine access to CGP and 'tumour agnostic therapies', Thomas said. Ivimey's CGP found an EGFR gene mutation, more commonly associated with chemo-resistant lung cancer. Ivimey had cared for this group of patients and knew targeted treatment had transformed their lives. It wasn't hope, Ivimey said. 'But it was exciting and meaningful to me when I couldn't be excited about much else.' She was enrolled in a clinical trial for an EGFR inhibitor drug. Eight weeks later, a CT scan showed her tumour had shrunk by 31 per cent. She had to pause treatment when the side effects became unmanageable – mouth ulcers, and pain and blistering from hand and foot syndrome. During these pauses, secondary tumours grew. Six months ago, Ivimey became the first Australian to start treatment with another EGFR inhibitor via a compassionate access scheme. The treatment has been life-changing. Ivimey returned to work and is planning a family trip to Europe. 'I live really well,' she said. 'When there are more secondaries [tumours], it does stop me in my tracks, but there is always something to look forward to.' Alfred Health director of medical oncology Professor Mark Shackleton has referred several patients to CGP and oversees the Monash Partners Comprehensive Cancer Consortium, which collaborates with Omico. 'Cancer research is often way ahead of the government's ability to provide access to treatment breakthroughs. Omico has superbly filled this gap,' Shackleton said. 'The challenge now is to decentralise [precision oncology] by making these advances accessible to as many people as possible in as many jurisdictions as possible, and ultimately that will be via existing health services.' Omico runs on government funding and private investment from the pharmaceutical and medtech industries. Loading In March, federal Health Minister Mark Butler announced an additional $30.8 million for PrOSPeCT to extend the program to the end of 2027. 'Australia is at the precipice of transforming the potential of genomics into concrete improvements in early diagnosis, prevention, research, policies and service delivery,' Butler said. The federal government is establishing Genomics Australia to lead and co-ordinate this transformation, and improving access to personalised cancer care will be one of its priorities, he said. Proving precision oncology offers economic benefits will be crucial for government support, Thomas said, citing the millions in foreign investment from industry-sponsored clinical trials conducted in Australia and more than 1500 jobs in the past 26 months facilitated by Omico. 'This is not only good for healthcare [or] just pouring money into the global pharmaceutical industry, but creating Australian jobs and supporting intellectual property that comes out of our universities and research institutes,' Thomas said. Thomas will present the results of Omico's initiatives at the biotech convention BIO International in Boston this week, supported by the NSW government.
The Age
14-06-2025
- Health
- The Age
Beth's time ‘could have been extremely short'. A new approach to cancer treatment is giving her hope
However, about one in four of the people who might benefit end up accessing the matched therapy, with some missing out due to poor health, and others due to a lack of access to clinical trials. Omico has focused on bringing more trials into Australia and distributing them through regional and rural areas, as well as major cities, Thomas said. A total of 24,536 Australians with advanced, incurable or early-onset cancers with poor outcomes have participated in Omico initiatives. More than 2600 patients have accessed treatment (84 per cent through clinical trials) after undergoing CGP. 'We have countless stories of people who were not told to get their affairs in order, who have [instead] been able to go back to work and support their families … look after their families,' said Thomas, a medical oncologist who was diagnosed with advanced prostate cancer two years ago, just before Omico's Precision Oncology Screening Platform Enabling Clinical Trials (PrOSPeCT) – Australia's largest genomic profiling program – got under way. '[We're] not eking out a little more time with low-quality life, but actually allowing some people to go back to normal life and contribute to society.' The organisation's ultimate goal is for affordable precision oncology to become part of routine cancer care and to improve outcomes for all patients by leveraging partnerships with government, pharmaceutical and medtech industries, researchers and clinicians. 'The vast majority of patients are under no illusions [about their prognosis] … but they also want to know that the system doesn't just shut up shop and say: 'I'm sorry, the cookbook recipes have run out. We can't do anything more',' Thomas said. Patients with rare cancers or cancers of unknown primary site have the most to gain from routine access to CGP and 'tumour agnostic therapies', Thomas said. Ivimey's CGP found an EGFR gene mutation, more commonly associated with chemo-resistant lung cancer. Ivimey had cared for this group of patients and knew targeted treatment had transformed their lives. It wasn't hope, Ivimey said. 'But it was exciting and meaningful to me when I couldn't be excited about much else.' She was enrolled in a clinical trial for an EGFR inhibitor drug. Eight weeks later, a CT scan showed her tumour had shrunk by 31 per cent. She had to pause treatment when the side effects became unmanageable – mouth ulcers, and pain and blistering from hand and foot syndrome. During these pauses, secondary tumours grew. Six months ago, Ivimey became the first Australian to start treatment with another EGFR inhibitor via a compassionate access scheme. The treatment has been life-changing. Ivimey returned to work and is planning a family trip to Europe. 'I live really well,' she said. 'When there are more secondaries [tumours], it does stop me in my tracks, but there is always something to look forward to.' Alfred Health director of medical oncology Professor Mark Shackleton has referred several patients to CGP and oversees the Monash Partners Comprehensive Cancer Consortium, which collaborates with Omico. 'Cancer research is often way ahead of the government's ability to provide access to treatment breakthroughs. Omico has superbly filled this gap,' Shackleton said. 'The challenge now is to decentralise [precision oncology] by making these advances accessible to as many people as possible in as many jurisdictions as possible, and ultimately that will be via existing health services.' Omico runs on government funding and private investment from the pharmaceutical and medtech industries. Loading In March, federal Health Minister Mark Butler announced an additional $30.8 million for PrOSPeCT to extend the program to the end of 2027. 'Australia is at the precipice of transforming the potential of genomics into concrete improvements in early diagnosis, prevention, research, policies and service delivery,' Butler said. The federal government is establishing Genomics Australia to lead and co-ordinate this transformation, and improving access to personalised cancer care will be one of its priorities, he said. Proving precision oncology offers economic benefits will be crucial for government support, Thomas said, citing the millions in foreign investment from industry-sponsored clinical trials conducted in Australia and more than 1500 jobs in the past 26 months facilitated by Omico. 'This is not only good for healthcare [or] just pouring money into the global pharmaceutical industry, but creating Australian jobs and supporting intellectual property that comes out of our universities and research institutes,' Thomas said. Thomas will present the results of Omico's initiatives at the biotech convention BIO International in Boston this week, supported by the NSW government.
ABC News
14-05-2025
- Health
- ABC News
Changing Australia: David Thomas and ramping up treatment access for rare and difficult cancers
Cancer affects thousands of Australians each year, and if you are diagnosed with a rare, less common or advanced cancer, your treatment options are often more limited. This is top of mind for Professor David Thomas, who has become a leader in the development of precision oncology in Australia. His work focuses on better linking people to clinical trials and new targeted therapies, with the hope to save or extend the lives of those with people with advanced, incurable or poor prognosis cancers. Guest: Professor David Thomas, founder of the not-for-profit genomics Omico and Director of the Centre for Molecular Oncology at UNSW...
