SOPHiA GENETICS and Jessa Ziekenhuis Join Forces to Enhance Precision Oncology in Belgium

SOPHiA GENETICS and Jessa Ziekenhuis: Pioneering Precision Oncology in Belgium

On September 8, 2025, SOPHiA GENETICS, a leader in the field of data-driven medicine, announced a significant partnership with Jessa Ziekenhuis, one of Belgium's largest healthcare institutions located in Hasselt. This collaboration marks a pivotal advancement in providing cutting-edge genomic testing and oncological research for cancer patients throughout Belgium.

Jessa Ziekenhuis serves a population of over 530,000 and processes more than 3,000 oncological DNA and RNA samples each year. Through this partnership, the hospital will leverage SOPHiA DDM™, a comprehensive platform that integrates next-generation sequencing (NGS) workflows into a single, standardized system. This streamlining includes universal library preparation and automated protocols, crucial for achieving efficiency and compliance with national guidelines under ComPerMed.

Transformative Impact on Oncology Care

By deploying six specialized applications from SOPHiA GENETICS tailored to various test needs, including solid tumors, hematological malignancies, and liquid biopsy analyses, Jessa Ziekenhuis expects to enhance clinical decision-making and expand research opportunities. The integration of SOPHiA's platform with Jessa's Laboratory Information Management System (LIMS) allows seamless data flow and workflow consistency.

This partnership is poised to cut processing times by 30% to 50% and reduce overall costs by as much as 25%. By unifying its entire pathology NGS operations into a single workflow, Jessa Ziekenhuis is not only looking to enhance throughput but also to improve the utilization of sequencing resources significantly.

Moreover, the collaboration addresses the innovative SOPHiA-DDM™ Dispatch function, enabling Jessa Ziekenhuis to effectively share a NovaSeq sequencer with AZ Delta in Roeselare. This sharing arrangement is a crucial part of the Bridge Consortium, enhancing operational capacity and collaboration between the two hospitals for improved turnaround times and capacity optimization.

Commitment to Personalized Medicine

"At Jessa Ziekenhuis, we are deeply committed to innovation that provides our patients access to the latest in oncological care. Our partnership with SOPHiA GENETICS allows us to harmonize and accelerate our NGS workflows fully. This advancement will enable us to derive molecular insights faster and more accurately, benefiting both clinical decision-making and our research initiatives," said Dr. Brigitte Maes, a clinical pathologist at Jessa Ziekenhuis.

Kevin Puylaert, Managing Director EMEA at SOPHiA GENETICS, emphasized, "This collaboration exemplifies how we support leading institutions in scaling their genomics capabilities while ensuring top-tier quality and efficiency." The move aligns with SOPHiA's mission to provide scalable, decentralized, data-driven precision medicine solutions across European hospital networks.

A Glimpse into the Future

SOPHiA GENETICS' strategy aims to further embed its presence within European healthcare by offering advanced genomic solutions that drive patient care forward. Attendees at the European Congress of Pathology from September 6 to 9, 2025, in Vienna are invited to connect with SOPHiA GENETICS to learn more about these innovations.

The advancements introduced through this partnership are critical in improving healthcare access and quality for cancer patients in Belgium. SOPHiA GENETICS continues to develop its influence in the landscape of health technology, pioneering solutions that harness both artificial intelligence and data analytics to create actionable insights from complex genomic data. The ultimate goal remains clear: to enhance the precision and effectiveness of cancer treatments globally.

For more information, visit SOPHiAGENETICS.COM or connect with SOPHiA on LinkedIn for updates on their revolutionary work in healthcare technology.