Strata Oncology today announced launch of the Strata Trial, a nationwide observational study providing no-cost tumor sequencing and clinical trial matching for 100,000 advanced cancer patients, to study the impact of tumor sequencing on clinical trial enrollment. 

Strata Oncology completed collaboration agreements with its first two cancer center partners, University of North Carolina (UNC) Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center and University of Alabama (UAB) Comprehensive Cancer Center. Participation in the Strata Trial enables the centers to offer tumor sequencing to all eligible advanced cancer patients at no cost, and to access Strata Oncology’s portfolio of affiliated pharma-sponsored clinical trials. To broaden regional access to the Trial, the agreements also provide for patient participation at the centers’ regional affiliate hospitals.

In addition, Strata Oncology announced validation of its Strata next-generation sequencing (NGS) Tests and CLIA certification of its high-throughput cancer sequencing laboratory in Ann Arbor, MI. The company will provide access to the Strata NGS Test, under an IRB-approved screening protocol, to cancer patients at UNC Lineberger and UAB and their affiliate hospitals, with additional clinical partnerships to follow.

“We are proud to first launch the Strata Trial at UNC Lineberger and UAB, both prominent cancer centers at the forefront of cancer research and care.” said Dan Rhodes, Ph.D., CEO of Strata Oncology. “I am grateful for their commitment and shared vision and look forward to building on our momentum to scale the Strata Trial, both to substantially broaden patient access and to accelerate our pharma partners’ precision oncology clinical trials.”

“The partnership between UNC Lineberger and Strata Oncology holds real promise to expand access to precision medicine for our patients with advanced cancer,” said Norman E. Sharpless, M.D., Director, UNC Lineberger. “This innovative collaboration seeks to build on the institutional and collective strengths of cancer centers and pharmaceutical companies and to create a coordinated network that together will drive the acceleration of multiple precision medicine clinical trials.”

“Our mission to provide the highest quality of care for those diagnosed with cancer will be enhanced greatly by participating in the Strata Trial, which will enable UAB to make tumor sequencing the norm rather than the exception for advanced cancer patients,” added Edward E. Partridge, M.D., Director, UAB Comprehensive Cancer Center. “We are pleased to join the Strata Trial Network, where we will work together to eliminate the barriers to realizing the promise of precision medicine for cancer patients.”