MedStar Health is pleased to announce a collaboration with Inivata, a global clinical cancer genomics company using an industry-leading liquid biopsy platform to transform patient care. With the collaboration, MedStar Health, and specifically the MedStar Georgetown Cancer Institute, will join the Inivata Knowledge Accumulation Network (IKAN).

IKAN is a global network of world-leading cancer centers working in partnership with Inivata to assess the potential of liquid biopsy and circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) analysis – a tool for oncologists to detect cancer, identify groups of patients with shared biological characteristics, and monitor individual response to treatment. MedStar joins Atrium Health’s Levine Cancer Institute and West Cancer Center as pioneering members of IKAN.

MedStar cares for thousands of cancer patients and survivors through the MedStar Georgetown Cancer Institute, a network of four MedStar hospitals combining forces to advance cancer care throughout metropolitan Washington, D.C., In collaboration with the MedStar Health Research Institute, MedStar is increasing its capabilities in precision cancer genomics. “The IKAN initiative is a highly innovative way of bringing together experts from a number of cancer centers to address a common goal of improving cancer treatment decisions and outcomes for patients. We look forward to working with the Inivata team and the wider network to build knowledge around how best to apply ctDNA analysis to improve cancer care,” said Stephen R. T. Evans, MD, executive vice president for Medical Affairs and chief medical officer for MedStar Health.

“By participating in the IKAN, we’ll have access to a critical mass of biological samples and clinical data for use in unique research for our community in the fast emerging ctDNA area,” said Neil Weissman, MD, president of the MedStar Health Research Institute and chief scientific officer for MedStar Health. “Inivata is a global leader in clinical cancer genomics and will greatly expand our ability to conduct gene-based, cancer research.”

MedStar Georgetown Cancer Institute’s research engine is the Georgetown Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center, the area’s only center to earn the National Cancer Institute’s (NCI) distinction as a comprehensive cancer center – one of fewer than 50 in the United States to hold this designation. Louis M. Weiner, MD, director of MedStar Georgetown Cancer Institute and Georgetown Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center, stated that, “We are delighted to be among the first cancer institutes in the world to join IKAN. Together we will work on a variety of clinical projects spread across a broad range of cancer types to accelerate the development and practice of precision cancer genomics.”

Under an initial agreement, MedStar principally will collect lung, breast, colorectal, and pancreatic cancer blood samples at its most active cancer programs throughout the ten-hospital system for research and storage. Blood collection at MedStar Georgetown University Hospital via Inivata’s liquid biopsy platform has already begun and is supporting treatment decisions for lung cancer patients.