AstraZeneca has launched the Helix Project in South Africa, an initiative aimed at expanding access to advanced diagnostic testing for eligible ovarian cancer patients and supporting faster, more informed treatment decisions.
Ovarian cancer remains one of the most challenging cancers affecting women, in part because it is often diagnosed at a later stage. Outcomes can also depend heavily on whether patients have access to diagnostic tools that help clinicians identify the most appropriate treatment options.
In South Africa, access to advanced biomarker testing remains limited for many ovarian cancer patients. The Helix Project seeks to address this gap by expanding access to homologous recombination deficiency (HRD) testing for eligible patients at a reduced cost.
HRD testing provides information about genetic changes that can influence treatment planning. By identifying relevant biomarkers earlier in the treatment pathway, clinicians may be better positioned to make personalised, evidence-based treatment decisions and reduce delays in care.
The project brings together AstraZeneca, Thermo Fisher Scientific, Gritzman & Thatcher, PathCare, Lancet Laboratories and Ampath in a multi-stakeholder collaboration designed to make advanced genomic testing more accessible.
