OptiCancer is an electronic report made in Germany, after analyzing the biopsy of a cancer patient that considers individual differences in people’s genes, environments, and family history to define individual patterns of disease. It utilizes the newest and well-established German capabilities and expertise which are available in the Frankfurt Innovation Center for Biotechnology “FIZ”.
“One size fits all, treatments are no longer sufficient”
OptiCancer is an innovative project powered by CEDEM AG (Germany) in which the majority shareholders and executives are Jordanian. In January 2017, CEDEM AG signed an agreement with FIZ to represent them in the MENA region. This is an attempt to move the most reputable German technologies “Precision Medicine” which are combined with the humanization of business to serve the communities of middle and low income by offering economical prices.
“Our vision is to bring the science of precision medicine: “OptiCancer” to the MENA region. we are proud to support physicians in the Middle East by establishing this pioneering German service in our region”
How does OptiCancer give actual hope for cancer patients who do not respond to a certain drug?
Cancer has enormous diversity and it behaves differently from one person to another. The evolutionary principles are very complicated, as cancer is not one disease but many diseases – the same drug may not be beneficial for all cases of the same type of cancer.
Human cells also respond differently from one person to another. Resemblance of a set of cases can be misleading and cancer treatments should be reorganized in terms of each individual’s internal genetic anatomy. Because cancer is a disease of the genome, it causes various molecular changes depending on the nature of the patient’s genetic map. The scientific conclusion is that each cancer case is unique and requires a specific type of cancer.
When we say that we have about 15 million cancer patients around the world, this means that we should have 15 million detailed molecular analyses of the tumor.
How did you turn the challenge of cancer treatment into a business opportunity?
The challenge is that such a treatment model requires a gigantic scientific database that combines each molecular genetic diagnosis of a single cancer tissue taken from the patient, with the collective knowledge of cancer diseases and their approved therapies, in order to have a final well-founded and reliable therapy recommendation. OptiCancer has turned this challenge into a business opportunity through alliances and partnerships with cancer treatment centers in the MENA region.
Cedem AG is a pioneering company working in the healthcare sector as a leading service provider of healthcare products for emerging markets and the MENA region. CEDEM AG is the sole representative of FiZ in the MENA region.
By utilizing complex algorithms and software, this big data solution can classify the characteristics of each individual DNA sample. Thus, “Big Data” becomes “Smart Data”. OptiCancer is an integrated solution that turns the work of a massive interdisciplinary network into an innovation driver through synergy projects.
Precision medicine allows physicians to treat cancer patients within more customized and individually tailored solutions, thus increasing the chances of rapid healing, and considerably improving surival rates in the MENA region .
The idea of avoiding chemotherapy in patients in whom it is less likely to work and show benefit is where you will see considerable cost savings. The reallocation of the available resources is crucial for all cancer treatment centers. Even if molecular profiling proves to be cost-neutral, we need to look at whether this cost is being offset by improved treatment outcomes. Moreover, OptiCancer provides new options for a patient who has run out of options in less developed countries. Our local partners, who have access to our database, will have prompt information on the latest discoveries around the globe.
What are the exact contents of the OptiCancer report?
We provide the oncologist with a report that contains detailed molecular analysis of the tumor in connection with available therapies, clinical studies and drugs. The treating doctor is thus enabled to make an informed and tailored decision for each cancer patient. Excellent scientific expertise, short turnover time and reliable German data protection standards are our guiding principles. OpticCancer’s integrated package of services is then showcased within a comprehensive report that includes:
1) A statement of diagnosis with the patient’s history, which should be provided by the patient or the center where he is being treated.
2) Genomic findings, which have likely clinical relevance including the related biomarker and variation.
3) Therapeutic indications, which includes the newest drug therapies, and their status, and whether they are approved or still under investigation will decide if a certain drug is beneficial or not.
4) The report also includes a list of recommended therapies which are advanced and have the highest precision effectiveness for a particular type of tumor.
Would you please introduce FiZ to our readers, who may be eager to know more about it?
The Frankfurt Center for Biotechnology. It was established in 2002 as a technology-focused center in the public-private sector that acts as a house of experience and an innovation hub.
FiZ is operated under the ownership of the state of Hesse, city of Frankfurt and the Frankfurt am Main Chamber of Industry and Commerce.
Why did you opt to launch OptiCancer in Jordan?
Cedem is interested in expanding its presence in Jordan and it is committed to have a crucial role in making Jordan a regional hub for the newest technologies in medical services. Jordan is the best and optimal country of choice to launch OptiCancer in the MENA region as it has the most advanced cancer treatment center in the Middle East with highly qualified human resources and a record of medical achievements. As a businessperson entrepreneur, I am highly motivated to connect the dots between the newest and most reliable German technologies and the unmet needs of cancer patients in the MENA market, says Ms. RashaOudeh.
For more information, please www.opticancer.net or contact Cedem at +962-6-5822271 and info@cedemag.com
