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Coriell Institute for Medical Research, a not-for-profit biomedical research institution and one of the world’s leading Biobanks, today officially launched the Delaware Valley Personalized Medicine Project (DVPMP) at a Congressional briefing hosted by Rep. Robert Andrews (D-NJ) in Washington, DC. The DVPMP is a multi-year study involving patient volunteers, physicians, nurses, scientists, ethicists and information technology experts that will allow participants to benefit from current and future advances in genome-informed medical practice, while ensuring that participant privacy is vigorously protected. Rep. Andrews, in support of the initiative, was the first volunteer to be consented and to submit a saliva sample from which his DNA will be isolated to determine his personal genome profile. In contrast to for-profit personal genome companies, the DVPMP aims to explore use of genetic risk factors in clinical decision-making. The approach allows participants to consult with their physician about their risk variants and to make important decisions about preventative care and proper medical treatments. All volunteers will control access to their genetic profiles and will determine whether they wish the information to become part of their medical records in the future. There is no charge to participants. According to Coriell President and CEO Michael F. Christman, Ph.D., partnerships with Fox Chase Cancer Center, Cooper University Hospital and Virtua Health, places the Institute at the vanguard of the emerging science of genomics research, the foundation of personalized medicine. “We are entering an era that will dramatically change medical practice over the next five to ten years,” said Christman. “Through initiatives like the Delaware Valley Personalized Medicine Project, physicians will be able to look at a patient’s personal genome profile to determine his or her risk for disease and the best way to treat diseases they may acquire. The hope is that personalized medicine will ultimately improve the effectiveness and lower the cost of medical care for us and future generations. We are very fortunate to have several forward-thinking hospital partners involved in the project. These hospital partnerships will greatly facilitate the necessary education of caregivers about genome-informed medicine and will provide critical input to the project from these caregivers.” The study seeks to discover presently unknown genes that elevate a person’s risk of cancer and other complex diseases, to understand why people often respond differently to treatments, and to explore how the resulting information can best be viewed and utilized by participants and their physicians in a secure, user-friendly, web-browser-based system. Participants will have the opportunity to learn about their risks for a range of conditions, including cancer, heart disease, diabetes, high blood pressure and high cholesterol. An Informed Cohort Oversight Board, chaired by Dr. Erin O'Shea of Harvard University, will determine which risk variants are appropriate for use by patients and caregivers to improve health. Dr. O'Shea is a Professor of Molecular Biology, Member of the prestigious National Academy of Sciences, a Howard Hughes Investigator, and director of Harvard's faculty of arts and sciences Center for Systems Biology." The DVPMP is Institutional Review Board (IRB) approved and will enroll 10,000 participants over the next three years with the ultimate goal of reaching 100,000 participants. Funding for the initiative, of which $5-million is already committed, comes from the William G. Rohrer Foundation, the William T. Read Legacy Fund, Mrs. Eleanor Read, the Daniel J. Ragone Family Foundation and Coriell’s own endowment. According to Christman, currently most medical practice and pharmaceutical research is not based on genetic profiles. “Until now, a one-size-fits-all approach is all we’ve had” said Christman. “But in the future, your doctor may use information about your personal genome profile to ensure that you receive the right drug at the right time. These advances represent a tangible payoff from the human genome project.” Today, interest in advances in personalized medicine extends beyond the scientific and medical communities. Legislation to secure the promise of genomics research and personalized medicine is imperative and in development, including the Genomics and Personalized Medicine Act of 2007, introduced in March by Sen. Barack Obama (D-IL) and Sen. Richard Burr (R-NC), and the Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act of 2007 (GINA), which passed in the U.S. House of Representatives in April. About Coriell Institute The Coriell Institute for Medical Research is an internationally known, not-for-profit, biomedical research institution headquartered in Camden, NJ. Founded in 1953, the Institute conducts research on cancer, human genetic variation, mechanisms of cellular differentiation, and other genetic disorders. Coriell is the world’s leading biobank resource for human cells and recently established a state of the art genotyping and microarray center. Visit coriell.org for more information. About Cooper University Hospital Cooper University Hospital is the leading provider of comprehensive health services, medical education and clinical research in Southern New Jersey and the Delaware Valley. With over 550 physicians in over 75 specialties, Cooper is uniquely equipped to provide an almost unlimited number of medical services. As the clinical campus of the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey – Robert Wood Johnson Medical School at Camden, the hospital is committed to excellence in medical education, patient care and research. Cooper offers training programs for medical students, residents, fellows, nurses and allied health professionals in a variety of specialties. About Fox Chase Cancer Center Fox Chase Cancer Center is an independent, nonprofit institution formed in 1974 by the union of American Oncologic Hospital (the nation's first cancer hospital, established in 1904) and the Institute for Cancer Research (founded in 1927). Fox Chase's 100-bed hospital is one of the few facilities in the country devoted entirely to cancer care. In September 2000, the Hospital of Fox Chase Cancer Center became the nation's first comprehensive cancer center and Pennsylvania's first hospital to receive Magnet status for nursing excellence from the American Nurses Credentialing Center, which renewed this honor in 2004. About 170 clinical trials of new prevention, diagnostic and treatment techniques are under way at any one time. Fox Chase is also involved in developing trials to test new agents that may prevent cancer in high-risk individuals. Combining research in many disciplines with patient care enables Fox Chase to translate new research findings into medical applications that may become models for improved cancer care. About Virtua Health Virtua Health is a multi-hospital healthcare system headquartered in Marlton, NJ. Its mission is to deliver a world-class patient experience through its programs of excellence in cancer treatment, cardiology, orthopaedics, women’s health, pediatrics, surgery and neuroscience. A non-profit organization, Virtua employs 7,450 clinical and administrative personnel, and 2,100 physicians serve as medical staff members. More people are treated at Virtua than at any other healthcare provider in South Jersey. Virtua has distinguished itself as one of the first Six Sigma organizations in healthcare, as an early adopter of clinical and digital technologies, and for its innovative partnerships with nationally renowned organizations such as GE Healthcare, Fox Chase Cancer Center and A.I. duPont Hospital for Children. It has been honored twice with the New Jersey Governor’s award for Clinical Excellence (Bronze in 2005; Silver in 2006) and recognized with the Leadership Award for Outstanding Achievement by Voluntary Hospitals of America. Virtua has been honored as the #1 Best Employer in the Delaware Valley by the Philadelphia Business Journal two years in a row and is the recipient of the 2006/2007 and 2007/2008 Consumer Choice Awards by National Research Corporation.
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For more information visit www.virtua.org.
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