Sydney, 06 November 2026 – Omico has announced the laboratory partners selected to provide free comprehensive genomic profiling (CGP) for 25,000 Australians in the next phase of the Precision Oncology Screening Platform Enabling Clinical Trials (PrOSPeCT) initiative.

SA Pathology, Foundation Medicine/Roche, LifeStrands in collaboration with MAYO Clinic Laboratories, and Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre will support the national program following a formal national tender process.

The announcement follows the Australian Government’s commitment of $71 million in the 2026 Federal Budget to continue the ‘life-extending’ PrOSPeCT initiative through to 2028/29.

The funding will enable a further 25,000 Australians nationally with advanced, incurable or poor prognosis cancers to access CGP, at no cost, and matching to biomarker-led treatments and clinical trials where possible. An estimated 1,133 additional Australians will reach their five-year cancer survivorship milestone with 799–1,570 life-years gained as a result of the program.

Building on PrOSPeCT 1.0, which supported 23,000 patient referrals from across Australia (March 2023 to December 2025), this next phase of the initiative will also continue evidence generation to inform future integration into routine cancer care.

Omico CEO Ian Black said the selected laboratory partners will play a critical role in helping ensure Australians continue to have access to high-quality genomic information to inform treatment decisions.

“Our goal throughout this process has been simple: to ensure as many Australians as possible can access high-quality genomic information in the shortest possible time,” Mr Black said.

“The experience gained through almost 25,000 genomic profiles across Omico’s initiatives over 10 years has helped shape the next phase of PrOSPeCT and the selection of these partners.”

A rigorous EOI and tender process was applied which included laboratory expertise, panel characteristics, quality standards, throughput capacity, turnaround times and cost effectiveness. It was informed by Omico’s decade of national precision oncology delivery, reviews from Omico’s International External Advisory Board, and oversight from the Omico Board.

Together, the selected partners provide the scalability needed to support national delivery while ensuring access to technologies capable of identifying the genomic characteristics relevant to the latest therapeutic breakthroughs. 

During the delivery of Omico’s national programs, the number of Australian laboratories with NATA accreditation for comprehensive genomic profiling has grown to eight, contributing to a significant uplift in Australia’s precision oncology capability and capacity.

Professor David Thomas, Omico Founder and Chief Science and Strategy Officer, said high-quality and timely genomic profiling is a critical foundation of precision oncology. 

“As new biomarkers and therapies continue to emerge, it is critical  patients have access to technologies capable of identifying both today’s clinically relevant findings and the discoveries that will shape cancer care in the future and this has been central to our plans,” Professor Thomas said.

“Building precision oncology into routine cancer care requires more than testing alone. It’s multifaceted and requires accredited laboratories, clinical expertise, workforce capability, evidence generation and strong national collaboration. Our appointed partners are crucial to these capabilities, our continued delivery and success,” Professor Thomas added.

Representatives of the selected laboratory partners welcomed the opportunity to continue supporting precision oncology for Australians through PrOSPeCT 2.0. 

“We’re proud to bring world-class genomic profiling capabilities to the next phase of the PrOSPeCT program. This collaboration reflects a shared commitment to ensuring more Australians can benefit from precision oncology by improving access to high-quality genomic information that helps guide treatment decisions. Together, we have an opportunity to make personalised cancer care more accessible and improve outcomes for patients and their families.”

Anand Vairavan, Managing Director, Roche Diagnostics Australia

“PrOSPeCT 2.0 represents another major step forward and a crucial milestone for precision oncology in Australia. By expanding equitable access to comprehensive genomic profiling, this national initiative will help more patients be matched to appropriate targeted therapies and clinical trials, regardless of where they live. LifeStrands is honoured to partner with Omico in delivering this important program for Australian cancer patients.” 

Dr Vivek Rathi, CEO  & Medical Director, LifeStrands in collaboration with MAYO Clinic Laboratories

“Peter Mac is delighted to be a selected partner for PrOSPeCT 2.0, having performed CGP for thousands of Australians in PrOSPeCT 1.0.Access to CGP is fundamental to delivering precision medicine, and this initiative helps us to better understand the unique genomic profile of an individual’s cancer. This means clinicians can make more informed treatment decisions, identify potential clinical trial opportunities, and ensure care is tailored as closely as possible to each cancer, for each person.”

Professor Stephen Fox, Director Pathology, Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre

“SA Pathology have been a proud partner with Omico in precision medicine initiatives for many years, including MoST and PrOSPeCT 1.0, and delighted to be a key partner in PrOSPeCT 2.0. Progress over this time with genomic technologies for tumour profiling, matched with the increase in precision medicine targeted therapies, is transformative for individuals living with cancer. We’re excited to continue with the next phase of this journey, driving further progress through research, clinical trials and NATA accredited pathology services to the Australian population.”

Dr Jill Lipsett, Clinical Service Director, SA Pathology

“PrOSPeCT 2.0 builds on foundations established through years of collaboration across Australia’s precision oncology community,” Professor Thomas said.

“We are grateful to all of the organisations that have helped build the capability, evidence and experience that continue to improve outcomes and opportunities for Australians living with cancer.”

Acknowledgement of PrOSPeCT 1.0 partners

Omico also acknowledges the organisations that supported comprehensive genomic profiling during PrOSPeCT 1.0:

• Australian Translational Genomics Centre (ATGC)
• Sonic Healthcare
• Foundation Medicine / Roche
• NSW Health Pathology
• PathWest
• SA Pathology
• Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre

Together, these organisations supported delivery of PrOSPeCT 1.0 and helped generate one of Australia’s largest collections of genomic, clinical and outcomes data in precision oncology.

The evidence, operational experience and learnings gained through this work continue to inform research, clinical trial matching, real-world evidence generation and efforts to integrate precision oncology into routine cancer care.