Helix Project Aims to Improve Access to Precision Ovarian Cancer Diagnostics

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.

“Ovarian cancer is too often diagnosed late, and access to timely diagnostics can play an important role in helping inform treatment decisions,” said Dr Khomotso Mashilane, Medical Director, African Cluster at AstraZeneca.

She said the programme is intended to help reduce cost barriers to HRD testing while supporting AstraZeneca’s broader commitment to improving access to cancer care through partnership and innovation.

Luca Quagliata, Vice President of Medical Affairs at Thermo Fisher Scientific, said access to comprehensive genomic information is becoming increasingly important as precision oncology advances.

“Through the Helix Project, we are proud to support expanded access to HRD testing for eligible patients in South Africa,” he said, adding that participating laboratories will be able to assess HRD results alongside a wider range of genomic alterations and biomarkers within a single workflow.

The initiative comes as ovarian cancer continues to present a significant global health challenge. According to the World Ovarian Cancer Coalition, ovarian cancer is the eighth most common cause of cancer-related death among women globally, with deaths from the disease expected to rise substantially by 2050.

In South Africa, improving awareness, timely diagnosis and access to appropriate testing remains an important part of strengthening cancer care.

By bringing pharmaceutical, diagnostics and pathology partners together, the Helix Project aims to bridge the gap between advances in precision medicine and patients’ ability to access them. AstraZeneca and its partners say the initiative could ultimately support more equitable cancer care while giving clinicians and patients better information to guide treatment decisions.

//Staff writer