Kerala CM inaugurates cancer research centre in Kochi

Kerala Chief Minister, Pinarayi Vijayan has inaugurated a cancer diagnostics and research centre here, which is slated to be the country’s first oncology laboratory for comprehensive cancer diagnostic services. Karkinos Healthcare’s advanced centre for cancer diagnostics and research will serve as a central lab for analysing specimens at molecular and genomic levels to aid in personalised targeted therapy, predicting possible response to treatment and evaluate response by liquid biopsy.

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Focus of the centre:

• The focus is on early diagnostic tools, molecular assays for precision medicine, which are not readily available in the country.
• The Tata Group is investing Rs 110 crore in Karkinos while Rakuten Medical, the global clinical stage biotechnology company, Mayo Clinic and Reliance Digital Health, hold minority stakes.

About the Karkinos Healthcare:

• Karkinos Healthcare has installed the most advanced high-throughput HPV assay equipment, Cobas 6800, in this centre with the ability to test over 1,200 Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) assays of all high-risk types.
• It has partnered with organisations such as Kerala Federation of Obstetrics and Gynaecologic to support the World Health Organization’s mission of eliminating cervical cancer by 2030.

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