Labcorp Teams with Oncology Research Startup to Eliminate Demographic Disparities in Cancer Treatment

Studies show that demographic differences can impact cancer care and that disadvantaged populations suffer from a lack of access to advanced precision cancer diagnostics and treatments. Evaluating and eliminating these disparities is the objective of a newly announced collaboration between Laboratory Corporation of America and Community Clinical Oncology Research Network (CCORN).

Demographic Diversity and Precision Oncology

A 2020 American Association for Cancer Research report on cancer disparities estimates that 34 percent of cancer deaths among US adults age 25 to 74 could be prevented if disparities in clinical trial participation were actively addressed.

National Comprehensive Cancer Network guidelines recommend clinical trials as a treatment option for cancer. However, less than 5 percent of patients diagnosed with cancer are enrolled in trials. Reasons for this include lack of awareness, social determinants of health and geographic and logistical obstacles. In addition to the social justice implications, ensuring diversity in trials enables the oncology researchers and providers to gain a deeper understanding of how to continue advancing personalized medicine in cancer care for all populations of patients.

The Labcorp-CCORN Collaboration

The newly announced collaboration pairs the nation’s second largest testing lab with a startup research company formed by oncologists dedicated to closing disparities in cancer burden, cancer care and precision medicine. The sides will work together to create a patient registry called PREFER—for Prospective rEgistry oF advanced stage cancer—that will enroll up to 2,500 advanced solid cancer patients across the US. The registry will include patient data from Labcorp’s advanced diagnostic testing and genomic data from its OmniSeq Insight tissue-based genomic and immune-profiling test to help identify the prevalence of actionable biomarkers and driver mutations that are unique to different ethnicities. Data from the registry will inform research into patients’ actionable biomarkers and driver mutations that may be unique to their ethnicities.

Labcorp and CCORN will also create a biobank enabling the broader oncology community to access real-world evidence and identify the source of disparities. Information from the biobank and PREFER patient registry will then be available for use in improving the design of oncology clinical trials, assisting in patient recruitment efforts, and helping encourage the expansion of genomic profiling testing in diverse populations.

“Diverse populations already suffer from a lack of access to adequate cancer diagnosis and treatment,” noted Dr. Kashyap Patel, founder and Chairman of CCORN. “Drug development processes have been relatively unsuccessful in reflecting demographic diversity in clinical trials, which further contributes to disparities in care and outcomes for those groups. It’s imperative that we determine how and why disparities occur, and this collaboration with Labcorp will be a major step in this regard.”

Here’s a summary of key strategic diagnostic deals announced in August 2021:

STRATEGIC ALLIANCES, PARTNERSHIPS & COLLABORATIONS

DISTRIBUTION, SALES & MARKETING AGREEMENTS

LICENSES

SUPPLY, SERVICE, TESTING & MANUFACTURING AGREEMENTS

GOVERNMENT CONTRACTS