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Sentara, BAMF Health to create Virginia's 1st comprehensive theranostics program
Groundbreaking program to focus on advanced diagnostics and highly personalized cancer treatments using customized radiopharmaceuticals
Sentara Health and BAMF Health are launching a joint venture to create Virginia’s first comprehensive vertically integrated theranostics program. Theranostics is an emerging approach to precision medicine, featuring molecular imaging to diagnose cancers, followed by targeted radiopharmaceutical therapies customized to attack patients’ unique cancer cells.
Unlike standard chemotherapy, which can also kill healthy cells, theranostics identifies molecular targets unique to specific diseases. The customized radiopharmaceuticals, delivered by IV, attach themselves to cancerous cells and deliver targeted radiation over a period of weeks, thus minimizing damage to healthy tissue.
“Theranostics has the potential to fundamentally change how we diagnose and treat a variety of cancers and other diseases,” said Michael Hooper, MD, Executive Vice President and Chief Medical Officer for Sentara Health. “Sentara is committed to bringing our patients the most innovative and hopeful therapies to extend and improve their lives. Investing in a comprehensive theranostics program with BAMF Health reflects the Sentara mission to improve health every day.”
While Sentara already offers molecular imaging through PET-CT scanning, BAMF Health is a leader in designing, building, and operating vertically integrated theranostics centers that bring together radiopharmaceutical production, molecular imaging, molecular therapy, and clinical trials. Theranostics, which combines the words ‘therapy’ and ‘diagnosis,’ is a growing approach to precision medicine, which tailors treatments to the unique molecular characteristics of a patient’s disease.
“As the power of theranostics and its profound impact on patient lives becomes widely recognized, forward-thinking healthcare systems are looking for a true partner to expand access and scale impact—that is where BAMF leads the way,” said Anthony Chang, PhD, Founder and CEO of BAMF Health. “We’re proud to partner with Sentara to ensure patients across Virginia and the surrounding region have unparalleled access to these life-saving technologies, both now and in the future.”
Theranostics offers new treatment options and new hope for patients with highly complex or treatment-resistant conditions. The focus right now will be on cancer, but clinical trials are investigating the use of theranostics to diagnose and treat neurological disorders such as Parkinson’s, cardiovascular conditions and other diseases. Research and clinical trials will determine the broader use of theranostics in other specialties.
Radiation safety is a critical element of theranostics, which involves radioactive medications. Sentara is committed to supporting the regulatory and compliance considerations for this emerging technology, which has the potential to help thousands of patients across Sentara’s integrated delivery network.
“Sentara is investing in the future of precision medicine,” said Dr. Hooper. “Theranostics is still in development, but we see the potential, and we want to be on the leading edge to provide groundbreaking, lifesaving care for our patients.”
Unlike standard chemotherapy, which can also kill healthy cells, theranostics identifies molecular targets unique to specific diseases. The customized radiopharmaceuticals, delivered by IV, attach themselves to cancerous cells and deliver targeted radiation over a period of weeks, thus minimizing damage to healthy tissue.
“Theranostics has the potential to fundamentally change how we diagnose and treat a variety of cancers and other diseases,” said Michael Hooper, MD, Executive Vice President and Chief Medical Officer for Sentara Health. “Sentara is committed to bringing our patients the most innovative and hopeful therapies to extend and improve their lives. Investing in a comprehensive theranostics program with BAMF Health reflects the Sentara mission to improve health every day.”
While Sentara already offers molecular imaging through PET-CT scanning, BAMF Health is a leader in designing, building, and operating vertically integrated theranostics centers that bring together radiopharmaceutical production, molecular imaging, molecular therapy, and clinical trials. Theranostics, which combines the words ‘therapy’ and ‘diagnosis,’ is a growing approach to precision medicine, which tailors treatments to the unique molecular characteristics of a patient’s disease.
“As the power of theranostics and its profound impact on patient lives becomes widely recognized, forward-thinking healthcare systems are looking for a true partner to expand access and scale impact—that is where BAMF leads the way,” said Anthony Chang, PhD, Founder and CEO of BAMF Health. “We’re proud to partner with Sentara to ensure patients across Virginia and the surrounding region have unparalleled access to these life-saving technologies, both now and in the future.”
Theranostics offers new treatment options and new hope for patients with highly complex or treatment-resistant conditions. The focus right now will be on cancer, but clinical trials are investigating the use of theranostics to diagnose and treat neurological disorders such as Parkinson’s, cardiovascular conditions and other diseases. Research and clinical trials will determine the broader use of theranostics in other specialties.
Radiation safety is a critical element of theranostics, which involves radioactive medications. Sentara is committed to supporting the regulatory and compliance considerations for this emerging technology, which has the potential to help thousands of patients across Sentara’s integrated delivery network.
“Sentara is investing in the future of precision medicine,” said Dr. Hooper. “Theranostics is still in development, but we see the potential, and we want to be on the leading edge to provide groundbreaking, lifesaving care for our patients.”