Source: sanjose.bizjournals.com
Author: staff

El Camino Hospital debuts the Genomic Medicine Institute — the first center of its type in the United States — on March 26.

Jon Friedenberg, El Camino vice president and head of the Institute, said Silicon Valley is the epicenter of genomic medicine, with many venture capitalists funding and companies developing products in this arena.

“It makes sense that we’d be early adopters to this type of personalized medicine,” he said.

The institute will start with a $1.2 million budget and a $500 million operating budget.

“We’re relying on philanthropy to support us through the first few years,” El Camino Hospital CEO Ken Graham said. “But we think the testing will make up the difference in cost efficiencies in the hospital and in our labs. And as time goes on, I think we’ll be able to demonstrate great success.”

The institute’s goal is to provide an infrastructure to support physicians and patients in genetic testing, counseling and genomic-based therapies. Friedenberg said infrastructure is critical because even if a physician is an early adopter of genomic testing, he or she needs a system to provide pre- and post-test counseling specific to each disease.

One of the tests the center will offer is Oncotype DX, a test for women with breast cancer, from Genomic Health Inc. in Redwood City. It will enable their physicians to assess whether chemotherapy is the best course for treatment, since 20 percent of breast cancer patients don’t respond to chemotherapy.

“If we can spare patients from having to undergo chemotherapy when it won’t help them, that’s a significant indirect benefit,” Friedenberg said.

The hospital is partnering with DNA Direct of San Francisco.

“We can help a physician answer questions as to whether a patient would be appropriate for a genetic test, and once they’ve decided, we can help with the post-test counseling,” said DNA Direct CEO Ryan Phelan.

DNA Direct has eight full-time counselors and a network of more than 50 genetic counselors. Phelan said there are only 2,200 counselors in the country, and some states have none.

There are 2,000 genetic tests available to consumers without a doctor’s order. Friedenberg said that is expected to double in a year, but the first tests offered at the institute will be limited to ones that have specialized genetic counselors available.

The institute will offer 12 tests initially, although Friedenberg estimates by year’s end there will be 50 tests and three therapies offered.

Most of the genomic-based therapies currently available are in oncology, and the first therapy to be offered at El Camino will be to treat late-stage lung, head and neck cancer patients.

Friedenberg said he decided against hiring an in-house team of genetic counselors because the business model wasn’t viable.

“It’s better to start with a structure that acknowledges the scarcity of genetic counselors from the beginning,” he said.