AstraZeneca Pharma India has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Rajiv Gandhi Cancer Institute and Research Center (RGCI&RC). Through this collaboration, a Center of Excellence (CoE) will be set up at the RGCI&RC lab in Delhi, to enhance the availability of subsidised, high-quality, and validated NGS (Next-Generation Sequencing) molecular panel testing for eligible individuals diagnosed with lung cancer in India. 

As a part of this collaboration, the molecular diagnostics lab at RGCI&RC will offer a broad 34 gene panel based subsidized NGS test to eligible lung cancer patients across.

This panel will include major biomarkers that will help the oncologist to provide appropriate treatment to lung cancer patients. Molecular diagnostics at RGCI&RC is an NABL accredited laboratory and it is one of the pioneers in the country to embark on the journey of liquid biopsy through both PCR as well as NGS technologies.

AstraZeneca and RGCI&RC hope that this collaboration will increase access to NGS based testing which, in turn, will aid in appropriate treatment decisions for lung cancer patients.

Over the past decade, the lung cancer treatment landscape has undergone a significant change with the advent of multiple actionable biomarkers as companion and complementary diagnostics, for personalised medicine options leading to increased quality of life and overall survival of patients with lung cancer. Unfortunately, access to quality assured and validated biomarker testing in lung cancer remains inadequate despite the advances in NGS based testing.

According to the International Association for the Study of Lung Cancer (IASLC), in 2018 <50 % of lung cancer patients receive appropriate molecular testing worldwide.