Pfizer Inc. and Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc., entered into a collaboration agreement to help increase local access to next-generation sequencing (NGS)-based testing for lung and breast cancer patients in more than 30 countries across Latin America, Africa, the Middle East and Asia, where advanced genomic testing has previously been limited or unavailable. Access to local NGS testing can help to provide faster analysis of associated genes to select the right therapy for that individual patient.

Under the agreement, Thermo Fisher aims to identify local labs that will be using the company’s NGS technology and ensure they have the necessary infrastructure, trained staff, and quality control measures to meet industry standards for NGS testing services for breast and lung cancer. Pfizer will explore ways to enable affordable patient access for NGS testing for these types of cancer and work to raise healthcare provider awareness regarding the benefits of advanced testing. The two companies will continue to evaluate opportunities to expand geographically and to expand testing for other types of cancer.

“Anyone facing a cancer diagnosis should have access to cutting-edge testing that can match them with an appropriate, optimized treatment plan and better inform their care,” said Gianluca Pettiti, executive vice president at Thermo Fisher Scientific. “Today, we aim to bring rapid NGS testing to an increased number of decentralized labs, closer to where patients are treated. We are moving one step closer to delivering precision insights to underserved patients so they can receive a more tailored path for their care no matter where they are in the world.”

“The more we understand the complex science behind cancer, the better we can treat it,” said Nick Lagunowich, Pfizer global president of emerging markets. “Our experience has taught us that cancer cannot always be treated with a broad brush and often requires an individualized approach based on precise disease characteristics. In many parts of the world, access to next-generation sequencing may be limited or unaffordable for cancer patients. This program aims to improve their treatment journey and help increase their chances for improved outcomes.”

Single gene testing has historically been used to match patients with appropriate targeted therapies. However, this can be a time intensive process if sequential tests are needed and there may not be enough tissue to run every test – which may require additional biopsy procedures. As more targeted therapies are available that can be matched through a broader set of genomic markers, next-generation sequencing is quickly replacing sequential, single biomarker tests. By screening a single tumor tissue or blood sample for multiple biomarkers simultaneously, NGS can provide clinical teams with rapid and actionable genomic insights to help inform precision oncology treatment decisions for eligible patients.