University of Puerto Rico Joins Caris Life Sciences' Precision Oncology Alliance

Puerto Rico's primary healthcare and medical research institution becomes the 28th member of Caris' collaborative network dedicated to making cancer treatment more precise and effective.

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Caris Life Sciences

Jul 23, 2019, 06:30 ET

IRVING, Texas, July 23, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Caris Life Sciences^®, a leading innovator in molecular science focused on fulfilling the promise of precision medicine, announced today that the University of Puerto Rico (UPR) has become the 28^th member of its Precision Oncology Alliance™. The Alliance is a collaborative network of leading cancer centers that is developing standards of care and best practices for the application of molecular profiling to advance precision cancer care.

UPR, the foremost cancer institution in Puerto Rico, includes the UPR Hospital at Carolina, Ambulatory Clinic of UPR, Puerto Rico Medical Center in San Juan, and the Comprehensive Cancer Center UPR. It serves 85 percent of Puerto Rico's cancer patients and leads medical research on the island, driving discoveries in molecular science and the development of new drugs and innovative treatments.

"In addition to providing care for more than 25,000 patients each year, UPR is a leader in clinical and scientific research with a tremendous depth and breadth of data and clinical trial experience," said Brian J. Brille, Vice Chairman of Caris Life Sciences. "We are delighted to welcome its team to the Precision Oncology Alliance. They will add new perspectives to the collaborative network and enhance our efforts to advance precision medicine."

Through the Precision Oncology Alliance – powered by Caris – UPR will partner with other notable cancer centers and academic institutions to broaden patient access to precision cancer care, validate Caris' Next Generation Profiling™ (NGP) offerings, and establish evidence-based standards for tumor profiling and molecular testing in oncology. By leveraging the comprehensive genomic and proteomic tumor profiling services available through the Caris Molecular Intelligence® platform, clinicians from UPR-affiliated hospitals will be able to prioritize therapeutic options and determine which clinical trial opportunities may benefit their patients. Additionally, UPR faculty will partner with other Alliance members to contribute to and publish data and advance collaborative clinical trials.

"The University of Puerto Rico's mission is to provide the best cancer care by integrating research with the best and more advanced treatment. The Medical Sciences Campus directs medical research on Puerto Rico and promotes discoveries in molecular science and the development of new medicines and innovative treatments. We are excited to develop this partnership with Caris Life Sciences, which has distinguished itself as an innovative, leading molecular science company focused on delivering on the promise of precision medicine," said Dr. Segundo Rodriguez-Quilichini, Chancellor UPR Medical Sciences Campus.

"We are excited to join this elite group and to collaborate with other leading cancer institutions as we work to ensure that all people with cancer have access to the best possible treatment," said Marcia Cruz-Correa, M.D., Ph.D., AGAF, FASGE, Professor of Medicine UPR, Director of Gastrointestinal Oncology and Genetics, Oncologic Hospital, Puerto Rico Medical Center.

The Precision Oncology Alliance comprises 28 academic, hospital and community-based cancer institutions, including seven National Cancer Institute (NCI)-designated Comprehensive Cancer Centers.

"The Precision Oncology Alliance is strengthened by diverse scientific and clinical capabilities and perspectives, and we are honored that UPR has joined our efforts to help navigate, advance and reinvent cancer care," said W. Michael Korn, M.D., Chief Medical Officer at Caris Life Sciences. "The institution's vast experience and expertise will drive the Alliance's efforts to inform and accelerate personalized cancer treatment."

Find out more about the Precision Oncology Alliance, powered by Caris, at www.carislifesciences.com/precision-oncology-alliance.

About Caris Life Sciences
Caris Life Sciences^® is a leading innovator in molecular science focused on fulfilling the promise of precision medicine through quality and innovation. The company's suite of market-leading molecular profiling offerings assess DNA, RNA and proteins to reveal a molecular blueprint that helps physicians and cancer patients make more precise and personalized treatment decisions. Caris is also advancing precision medicine with Next Generation Profiling™ that combines its innovative service offerings, Caris Molecular Intelligence^® and ADAPT Biotargeting System™, with its proprietary artificial intelligence analytics engine, DEAN™, to analyze the whole exome, whole transcriptome and complete cancer proteome. This information, coupled with mature clinical outcomes on thousands of patients, provides unmatched molecular solutions for patients, physicians, payers and biopharmaceutical organizations. Headquartered in Irving, Texas, Caris Life Sciences offers services throughout the U.S., Europe, Asia and other international markets. To learn more, please visit www.CarisLifeSciences.com or follow us on Twitter (@CarisLS).

Caris Life Sciences Media & Company Contact:
Srikant Ramaswami
Vice President, Chief Communications Officer
[email protected]
+1-214-769-5510

Caris Life Sciences Investor Inquiries:
David Clair, CFA
Westwicke Partners
[email protected]
+1-646-277-1266

University of Puerto Rico Media Contact:

Medical Sciences Campus
Press & Communications Office Directora de la Oficina de Prensa y Comunicaciones
Vivian Vázquez
[email protected]
+1-787-412-6633

Medical Science Campus
Media Advisor
Angel Hoyos
[email protected]
787-565-9297

SOURCE Caris Life Sciences