#Belgium #genomic testing #SOPHiA GENETICS #Jessa Ziekenhuis #Hasselt

SOPHiA GENETICS and Jessa Ziekenhuis: A New Era for Oncology Research

In a groundbreaking initiative unveiled at the European Congress of Pathology, SOPHiA GENETICS announced a strategic partnership with Jessa Ziekenhuis, one of Belgium's premier healthcare institutions. This collaboration aims to revolutionize cancer diagnosis and treatment in the region by integrating advanced genomic testing capabilities into the hospital's pathology workflows.

A Step Towards Precision Medicine

SOPHiA GENETICS, a leader in data-driven medicine and cloud-native healthcare technology, has long been at the forefront of genomic innovations. Their partnership with Jessa Ziekenhuis marks a significant milestone in their commitment to providing advanced oncological care to a wider patient demographic. Jessa Ziekenhuis, serving a population of over 530,000, performs more than 3,000 oncology-related DNA and RNA sample analyses each year.

Through the adoption of SOPHiA DDM™, the hospital plans to streamline its next-generation sequencing (NGS) procedures, consolidating various aspects of genetic testing under one cohesive platform. This holistic approach will facilitate substantial efficiencies in laboratory operations and align seamlessly with national clinical standards such as the ComPerMed guidelines.

Enhancing Clinical Decision-Making and Research Efforts

Under the new agreement, Jessa Ziekenhuis will integrate six SOPHiA GENETICS applications tailored for specific testing requirements relevant to solid tumors, hematologic malignancies, and liquid biopsy analyses. These enhancements are expected to significantly aid clinical decision-making and advance research capabilities in oncology, ultimately benefiting patients seeking tailored cancer treatments.

The SOPHiA DDM™ platform brings an integrated design that combines the latest cloud technology with automation and sophisticated analytical tools, ensuring a smooth interchange of data with the hospital's Laboratory Information Management System (LIMS). This compatibility guarantees unified workflows and promotes operational efficiency.

With the complete standardization of their NGS operations, Jessa Ziekenhuis anticipates reducing hands-on time by 30-50% and cutting costs by up to 25%. Such improvements are set to accelerate testing turnaround times, providing patients with quicker results and enabling faster, more effective treatments.

Collaboration Beyond Borders

An exciting aspect of this partnership is the implementation of the SOPHiA DDM™ Dispatch feature, which allows Jessa Ziekenhuis to share a NovaSeq sequencer with AZ Delta in Roeselare, Belgium. This shared resource, fostered through the Bridge Consortium, will optimize sequencing services and capacity, enhancing both institutions' capabilities to manage oncology cases efficiently.

Dr. Brigitte Maes, a Clinical Pathologist at Jessa Ziekenhuis, expressed her enthusiasm, stating, "Our collaboration with SOPHiA GENETICS represents a significant step in our commitment to innovation. By harmonizing and accelerating our NGS workflows, we can provide our patients faster, more accurate molecular insights, improving our clinical decision-making as well as our research initiatives."

Driving Data-Driven Care Across Europe

Kevin Puylaert, Managing Director of EMEA at SOPHiA GENETICS, highlighted the significance of this partnership, noting, "This collaboration demonstrates our dedication to empower healthcare institutions in scaling their genomic capabilities while maintaining the utmost quality and efficiency. Our automated, cloud-native solution is specifically designed to meet the unique oncology demands of Jessa Ziekenhuis, facilitating unified workflows, quicker insights, and improved patient care throughout Belgium."

As SOPHiA GENETICS strengthens its presence in European hospital networks, this partnership marks a pivotal moment in advancing precision medicine through innovative genomic technologies. Attendees at the European Congress of Pathology can learn more about these advancements from SOPHiA GENETICS representatives on-site, further emphasizing their commitment to transforming patient care in oncology.

For additional details about SOPHiA GENETICS and their pioneering efforts in healthcare technology, please visit SOPHiAGENETICS.COM or connect with them on LinkedIn for the latest updates in genomic testing and its applications in modern medicine.