North Shore Hematology Oncology Associates Joins the Caris Centers of Excellence for Precision Medicine Network

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Sep 16, 2015, 07:00 ET

IRVING, Texas, Sept. 16, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- Caris Life Sciences®, a leading biotechnology company focused on fulfilling the promise of precision medicine, today announced that North Shore Hematology Oncology Associates (NSHOA), one of the largest comprehensive community-based practices in the greater Long Island area, joined the Caris Centers of Excellence for Precision Medicine Network™ (Network).

"We are excited to welcome North Shore Hematology Oncology Associates to the Network. The physicians and staff of NSHOA have a long history of providing premium cancer care to the Long Island area," said Dr. John Marshall, Chairman of the Network, Professor of Medicine and Oncology at Georgetown University School of Medicine, and Chief of Hematology/Oncology at Georgetown Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center. "As a community-based cancer center, NSHOA cares for thousands of patients each week and brings to the Network unique, real-world perspectives on cancer care and how precision medicine is transforming the way we diagnose and treat cancer."

NSHOA will actively participate in tumor profiling initiatives set forth by the Network, including clinical trials and other precision medicine research initiatives. NSHOA will also leverage Caris' multi-technology tumor profiling service, Caris Molecular Intelligence®, to enable the practice of precision medicine by identifying therapy options and clinical trial opportunities based on the unique characteristics of a patient's tumor.

"The multi-platform approach provided by Caris, better equips our physicians with the comprehensive molecular data for our patients, which can enhance therapy selection, clinical trial participation and further our understanding of the biology of patient tumors," said Jeffrey Vacirca, M.D., FACP, CEO/Managing Partner of NSHOA.

Caris Molecular Intelligence, a service that correlates molecular data from a tumor with biomarker and drug associations from the latest clinical and scientific cancer literature, is the key technology platform utilized across the Network to enable the delivery of precision medicine. This information is used to help inform treatment decisions by identifying therapies that have the potential to be most effective and to rule out those that are less likely to work, based on the unique molecular characteristics of an individual patient's cancer. The Caris Molecular Intelligence system uses multiple technology platforms combined with sophisticated bioinformatics to develop clinically actionable reports for more than 75,000 patients to date.

About Caris Life Sciences®
Caris Life Sciences® is a leading biotechnology company focused on fulfilling the promise of precision medicine through quality and innovation. Caris Molecular Intelligence®, the company's healthcare information and comprehensive tumor profiling service with more than 75,000 patients profiled, provides oncologists with the most clinically actionable treatment options available to personalize cancer care today. Using a variety of advanced profiling technologies to assess relevant biological changes in each patient's tumor, Caris Molecular Intelligence connects biomarker data generated from a tumor with biomarker-drug associations supported by evidence in the relevant clinical literature. Since 2009, Caris Life Sciences has tracked clinical and outcome data for certain patients undergoing tumor profiling, and has observed that patients treated with drugs consistent with their tumor profile show a significant increase in overall survival. The company is also developing its ADAPT Biotargeting System™, a revolutionary and unbiased profiling platform with applications across therapy development, drug delivery, advanced diagnostics and disease monitoring. Currently being developed for cancer and other complex diseases, the ADAPT Biotargeting System is able to simultaneously measure millions of molecular interactions within complex biological systems in their natural state(s). Headquartered in Irving, Texas, Caris Life Sciences offers services throughout the U.S., Europe, Australia and other international markets. To learn more, please visit www.CarisLifeSciences.com.

About North Shore Hematology Oncology Associates
North Shore Hematology Oncology Associates, PC (NSHOA) is a fully integrated medical oncology/hematology practice of 19 medical oncologists and three radiation oncologists with eleven offices located on Long Island, New York. NSHOA provides premium cancer care for patients using the latest treatment techniques and cutting edge medical technology while ensuring that patients are treated with dignity and respect. With a multitude of ancillary services such as a large clinical research department that proudly participates in many national cancer trials, on-site radiology imaging, laboratory, pathology departments and therapies such as chemotherapy, immunotherapy, and vaccines, NSHOA is able to offer comprehensive care right in their community.

SOURCE Caris Life Sciences