Tempus, Rush University Partner

Tempus and Rush University Medical Center have announced a partnership to pursue their shared goal of providing customized treatment to cancer patients. “Technology has come a long way since the human genome was first mapped more than 15 years ago, but many cancer patients are still being treated with a one-size-fits-all approach that may not fit the specific molecular composition of their cancer,” said Eric Lefkofsky, co-founder and CEO of Tempus.

“At Tempus, we have built an operating system to battle cancer that puts technology and analytics into the hands of physicians so they can create a customized and precise treatment plan for each patient.” The Rush University Cancer Center comprises all cancer-related clinical, research and educational efforts at Rush, crossing 20 departments, divisions and sections; inpatient and outpatient areas; professional clinical activities; and the colleges of Rush University.

Rush, which serves both adults and children with cancer, is home to The Coleman Foundation Comprehensive Clinics, which applies a team approach to patient care. “As the cost to gather molecular data has come down over time, it’s more important than ever that our physicians are armed with the most relevant and state-of-the art tools that they need to do their job,” said Dr. Ranga Krishnan, Dean of Rush Medical College, and Senior Vice President at Rush.

“At Rush, we are committed to innovation and, through our partnership with Tempus, we expect to be able to usher in an unprecedented era of advancement as it relates to doing what is and has always been first and foremost at Rush – caring for our patients.” “In personalized cancer care we learn about a person’s genetic makeup and how his or her tumor grows, then use this data to try to find prevention, screening, and treatment strategies that may be more effective for each individual,” said Dr. Robert DeCresce, acting director of the Rush Cancer Center.

“This approach also enables us to find treatments that cause fewer side effects than the standard options. By performing genetic tests on the cancer cells and on normal cells, we may be able to customize treatment to each patient’s needs.” Tempus provides sequencing and analysis for top academic centers, hospital systems, associations, and health care providers. Utilizing machine learning and advanced bioinformatics, Tempus helps physicians analyze these newly amassed data sets in a search for potentially relevant patterns for patients that are unlikely to respond to conventional therapies.

The company has recruited a world-class team of accomplished geneticists, computational biologists, data scientists and software engineers who have developed the software and analytic tools that form the foundation of an operating system to battle cancer. Tempus has forged partnerships with leading institutions, including Northwestern’s Lurie Cancer Center, the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network, and the University of Michigan.