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London, Ontario – In a Canadian first, St. Joseph’s Health Care London (St. Joseph’s) and Lawson Health Research Institute (Lawson), in partnership with GE HealthCare, will become a centre of excellence in personalized treatment of cancer and other diseases by advancing the powerful blend of precision diagnostic imaging and targeted therapy.

This rapidly emerging field of medicine is called molecular imaging and theranostics (MIT). Molecular imaging provides detailed imaging at the molecular level and theranostics is a term that combines the words therapeutics and diagnostics. Together, MIT is a two-pronged approach to diagnosing and treating cancers and other diseases that merges imaging with the use of radiotracers that can not only identify the location and extent of diseased tissues but also selectively destroy the abnormal cells while leaving surrounding healthy cells undamaged. 

“The centre will confirm St. Joseph’s and the wider London medical and scientific community as national and international leaders in advancing MIT in the diagnosis of disease, for instance in the identification of cancer and its sub-types, to allow more treatment options for patients,” says Dr. Narinder Paul, Lawson Scientist, Chief, Medical Imaging at St. Joseph’s and Physician Executive, Medical Imaging at London Health Sciences Centre (LHSC). “It will also allow for an expansion of scientific collaborations, increased numbers of scientific and medical learners, and access to the latest software to acquire and integrate imaging science with other patient information.”

The partnership with GE HealthCare will see St. Joseph’s become the first hospital in Canada to install the latest generation, state-of-the-art PET-CT from GE, which will be delivered to St. Joseph’s Hospital by September 2023. The new PET-CT will mean faster exams, better patient experience, more detailed images and increased accuracy in diagnosing disease at a lower dose of radiation for patients. It will also expand clinical care at St. Joseph’s by significantly enhancing research through the Imaging Research Group at Lawson, working together with researchers at LHSC, the London Regional Cancer Program, and Western University.

“We will leverage the combined scientific expertise and innovation of scientists from GE HealthCare and Lawson to maximize the future opportunities of molecular imaging theranostics made possible through PET- CT imaging and be leaders in Canada in this area of medical science,” says Dr. David Hill (D.Phil), Lawson’s Scientific Director. 

As a dedicated MIT centre of excellence, St. Joseph’s will…

•    Advance innovation and expand the science in precision imaging of disease through Lawson, and broaden the potential of PET-CT imaging
•    Develop new treatment options for patients with cancer and other diseases
•    Examine how to maximize the opportunities of digital health technologies to improve access for patients across Canada and optimize their treatment journeys 
•    Create a knowledge dissemination hub for Canada to educate and train others in the use of advanced imaging technologies, including how to organize hospital services to maximize access to patients and improve the health care system for all Canadians.

“St. Joseph’s is proud to be in partnership with GE HealthCare on this exciting opportunity to transform the care journey and outcomes for patients with cancer and other diseases, not only locally and regionally, but also nationally,” says Roy Butler (PhD), President and CEO of St. Joseph’s.  

For patients seen in London, the benefits will include expanded use of PET-CT, the ability to extract more information from their diagnostic images more rapidly and with less radiation exposure compared to current procedures, greater diagnostic and treatment accuracy, and new options for treatment, particularly for cancers that are more difficult to treat.  

“A personalized approach to medical care requires a very detailed understanding of the localization of disease and potential response to different treatment options,” says Dr. Paul who is also the Chair of Medical Imaging at Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry at Western University. “We will be able to offer patients across our region access to the latest therapeutic options based on a deeper understanding of the nature of their individual disease conditions gained through next generation medical imaging.”

At its core, theranostics is about treating each patient as an individual, “recognizing that the same treatment plan doesn’t work for everyone – with the goal of providing more efficient and effective medical care,”  adds says Mike Hamilton, President, GE HealthCare Canada. “This collaboration aims to advance this practice for the benefit of clinicians and patients around the world.”

The new PET-CT at St. Joseph’s will replace an aging machine and has been made possible in part through the generosity of donors to St. Joseph’s Health Care Foundation, which is contributing $1 million to state-of-the-art machine. 

Additional details on this exciting partnership are available on St. Joseph’s website
 

LONDON, ON – St. Joseph’s Health Care London and Lawson Health Research Institute have announced plans to move forward with clinical trials testing a drug that could potentially be used to prevent and treat COVID-19. St. Joseph’s Health Care Foundation will accelerate the creation of the studies by providing seed funding to get the research started through donor support. Based on the immediate need, The St. Joseph’s Health Crisis Fund has been created by St. Joseph’s Health Care Foundation to enable these and other research studies currently in development through Lawson, the research arm of St. Joseph’s. 

While supporting urgent COVID-19 clinical trials will be an immediate focus, The St. Joseph’s Health Crisis Fund will also support critical patient care equipment and care and comfort items for healthcare staff and volunteers working on the frontlines of the pandemic across St. Joseph’s.

The initial clinical trials aim to study the use of hydroxychloroquine as a preventative medication and treatment for COVID-19. Led locally by Dr. Michael Silverman, Medical Director of St. Joseph’s Infectious Diseases Care Program, one trial will assess the safety and efficacy of using the drug to prevent COVID-19 in health care workers recently exposed to the virus. This trial will also assess the drug as a treatment for non-hospitalized patients with mild cases of the illness. St. Joseph’s will be one of many participating sites in the trial, which is being led by the Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre.

“There is much debate surrounding the drug hydroxychloroquine. We do not yet know whether it’s safe or effective, and it should not be routinely recommended until we do,” says Dr. Silverman, also a Lawson Associate Scientist and city-wide Chair/Chief of Infectious Diseases. “We plan to carefully study the drug through a randomized controlled trial and assess whether it can help combat COVID-19.” 

Dr. Silverman is also partnering with Dr. Michael Borrie, Geriatrician at St. Joseph’s and Lawson Scientist, on a prevention trial to test the safety and efficacy of the drug for patients and residents at Parkwood Institute who have been exposed to COVID-19. They are at a higher risk of infection, as well as serious complications and potential admission to acute care. 

“Lawson researchers like Drs. Silverman and Borrie excel in rapid response research,” says Dr. David Hill, Lawson Scientific Director. “Hospital-based research is uniquely positioned to handle these types of studies, as close proximity to patients and sample collection is essential.”

St. Joseph’s Infectious Diseases Program is the only program of its kind in the region. Dr. Silverman, head of St. Joseph’s Infectious Disease program, has worked with communities in crisis in Zambia, Zimbabwe, Uganda and the rainforests of Guyana. He is working closely with other health care partners in the London and surrounding area to coordinate the region’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic. 

“The Sisters of St. Joseph, who founded our organization, faced contagious diseases and other pandemics at different times in our 150+ year history,” says Michelle Campbell. “Today, it’s a different time, and a new disease. Now, more than ever, we ask our community to help us address the crisis facing us all.” 

Those interested in donating to St. Joseph’s Health Crisis Fund are asked to visit St. Joseph’s Health Care Foundation’s website to learn more at sjhcfoundation.org. Donations can be made online, through direct mail submissions or by calling the Foundation directly at 519-646-6085.

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