Tempus and AstraZeneca expand collaboration to enhance cancer care with AI

Tempus, a pioneer in artificial intelligence and precision medicine, has announced an expansion of its collaboration with pharmaceutical giant AstraZeneca. This enhanced partnership focuses on utilizing Tempus Next, a care pathway intelligence platform, to facilitate the delivery of biomarker testing for patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), addressing critical care gaps.

Enhancing Precision Medicine in Oncology

The collaboration aims to integrate cutting-edge AI technology into daily medical practices, helping physicians access the most recent oncology guidelines for NSCLC treatment. Tempus Next will aid in identifying patients who may benefit from molecular testing for epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) mutations, a key biomarker for NSCLC linked to specific targeted therapies.

Addressing Care Gaps in NSCLC

Statistics reveal that approximately 30-40% of eligible NSCLC patients currently do not receive appropriate biomarker testing. To counter this, Tempus and AstraZeneca initiated a pilot program in September 2023, leveraging Tempus Next at selected provider sites. This AI-driven platform scans unstructured clinical data to identify patients potentially eligible for guideline-directed testing, subsequently alerting physicians to optimize care delivery.

Chris Scotto DiVetta, Senior Vice President of AI Applications at Tempus, expressed enthusiasm about the program’s initial success. “Next was designed to ensure all patients have access to treatment plans based on the most up-to-date guidelines by equipping physicians with cutting-edge tools in their existing workflows,” said DiVetta.

Pilot Program Success and Expansion

The initial six-month pilot demonstrated significant potential, prompting both companies to expand the program to 15 provider sites. This expansion aims to further integrate precision medicine into healthcare, enhancing patient outcomes by ensuring more NSCLC patients receive timely and appropriate testing.

Future of Healthcare Technology

Tempus Next not only integrates with electronic medical records (EMRs) to analyze a wide range of data, including clinical notes and imaging but also underscores the growing role of AI in advancing healthcare standards and treatment personalization.

As Tempus and AstraZeneca continue to push the boundaries of medical technology, their efforts mark a significant step forward in the personalized treatment of cancer, offering new hope and better outcomes for patients worldwide.