Genentech Supports AACR Project GENIE

The American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) Project Genomics Evidence Neoplasia Information Exchange (GENIE) recently received funding from Genentech through a research grant.

As Charles L. Sawyers, MD, AACR Project GENIE steering committee chairperson, explained previously on this blog, AACR Project GENIE is designed to power clinical decision-making and advance clinical and translational research. The initial phase of the project, which is being conducted in partnership with seven global leaders in genomic sequencing for clinical utility, as well as two informatics partners, will aggregate participants’ clinical-grade sequencing data and link them to select clinical outcomes data to improve patient treatment decisions and catalyze clinical and translational research. This registry already contains more than 17,000 genomic records, and the grant from Genentech will help ensure the success of the project.

“The AACR is thrilled to have Genentech’s help in funding this unique and greatly needed project,” said Mitch Stoller, executive director of the AACR Foundation. “Through AACR Project GENIE, we have an opportunity to significantly improve clinical decision making and ultimately save more lives from cancer.”

This news comes at a time when the cancer community is a buzz with interest in data sharing. Vice President Joe Biden highlighted the importance of data-sharing initiatives and cited AACR Project GENIE during his opening remarks at a special roundtable session at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, Jan. 19. The distinguished panel of experts at the session included AACR President José Baselga, MD, PhD, and two AACR past-presidents, Charles L. Sawyers, MD, and Elizabeth Blackburn, PhD. AACR Project GENIE has also received media attention from outlets such as Science magazine, Forbes, and Politico.

For more information on AACR Project GENIE, go to aacr.org/genie, email [email protected], and watch this video: