New Philippines NGS Center Targets Critical Gaps in Genomic Care

Cancer treatment in the Philippines is entering a new era, but access to advanced cancer diagnostics remains a challenge. To bridge this gap, the Linking Network for Cancer Services Inc (L!NCS) in partnership with India’s 4baseCare Precision Health Private Limited (4baseCare) has launched the country’s first Next-Generation Sequencing (NGS) Center. Dr. Necy Saguisag Juat, cofounder of L!NCS sees this as a turning point. “We’re not just catching up—we’re working to stay ahead by making genomic testing more accessible,” she shared.

Set to launch on May 8th this year, the center aims to deliver affordable precision medicine to Filipinos, positioning the country as a Southeast Asia regional hub for genomic innovation. Dr. Juat highlighted the soon-t0-be operational facility’s role in tackling local health challenges, fostering global collaborations, and improving patient outcomes. By making cutting-edge testing widely available, the center aims to transform cancer care and close critical gaps in treatment access.

Bringing Cutting-Edge Tech to the Fight Against Cancer

The NGS Center introduces a laser-focused mission: enhancing clinical cancer care through genomics. Unlike the Philippine Genome Center (PGC), which Dr. Juat notes is “more of research” entity tackling everything from agriculture to infections, this new lab is “purely focused on cancer patients.” She explains, “For the past seven or ten years, around the time when NGS in clinical application was being introduced, we didn’t have a genomic lab in the Philippines. Samples were sent abroad—mostly to the US, some to Europe. Now, we’re bringing it home.” Partnering with 4baseCare, the center will leverage advanced NGS technology to deliver faster results, bypassing the delays of overseas testing.

What sets this apart? Precision medicine focused solely on oncology, with a patient population spanning the wider Asian region and the Middle East—i.e., a non-Caucasian populace. “Cancer treatment is now more personalized,” says Dr. Juat. “We need NGS to guide us clinicians—medical oncologists, as well as surgeons, radiation oncologists, etc.—for our patients.”

For years, Filipino cancer patients faced a major hurdle: the lack of local, advanced genomic testing, forcing doctors to send samples abroad to places like Foundation One. This delayed critical treatment decisions and increased costs. “We are usually the followers, rarely the leaders, when it comes to new technologies like this.”

Now, with the NGS Center—a collaboration between the Linking Network for Cancer Services Inc. and India’s 4baseCare—fully operational as of April 2025, that’s changing fast. Beyond diagnostics, 4basecare’s innovations—like genetic, nutritional, and psychological counseling via their OncoBuddy app—add a human touch to this cutting-edge technology, addressing not just the disease but the whole patient. “Not all medical oncologists can interpret these tests,” Dr. Juat adds, praising the company’s support as a game-changer. That support, she explains, comes through expert guidance and tools that break down complex genomic data into clear, actionable insights for doctors—making it easier to tailor treatments—and into meaningful steps that patients can understand and follow.

Fitting Into—and Elevating—the Genomic Landscape

The Philippines isn’t new to genomics, thanks to PGC, Detoxicare Molecular Diagnostics, and the Shared Genomics Core Laboratory (SGCL). But Dr. Juat sees the NGS Center as a vital piece of the puzzle. “PGC’s machine isn’t used purely for cancer—it’s for COVID, silk genomics, agriculture,” she says. “Detoxicare and others? They send samples out. Our turnaround time will be shorter.” This in-house capability, she argues, complements existing infrastructure by zeroing in on clinical applications over broad research.

The center’s ambitions don’t stop there. “The plan is to have our own Filipino library for genomics,” Dr. Juat reveals. “Developed countries have tons of data; we don’t. This lab changes that.” By building a molecular registry—tracking mutations like those in lung or breast cancer—it aims to fill data gaps, boosting both patient care and research tailored to Filipinos. A standout aspect of this vision is the NGS Center’s dedication to achieving accreditation from the College of American Pathology (CAP). “The CAP accreditation goes beyond basic regulatory requirements,” Dr. Juat explains. “It’s an advanced certification that assures patients the lab adheres to the highest standards of quality, proficiency, and accuracy in diagnostic testing,” further solidifying its commitment to reliable, world-class care.

Collaborations: A Powerful Force to Unleash Potential

Collaboration is the heartbeat of this project. Locally, Dr. Juat envisions ties with the possible entities like Philippine Cancer Center, still in development under the 2019 National Integrated Cancer Control Act. “Their mandate includes a molecular genome hub,” she notes. “We’ve invited PGC, the Department of Science and Technology, and the Food and Nutrition Research Institute to visit the lab.” Internationally, the center focuses on Southeast Asia. “For countries without a genomic lab, we can collaborate,” she says, eyeing a regional hub role.

Global partnerships are already in motion. Trainees head to Dubai for weeks-long stints, guided by the same experts who built 4baseCare’s lab there. Research ties with Taipei Medical University, the International Rice Research Institute, and Germany’s Max Planck Institute hint at broader horizons. “We’re working with Taipei on fatty liver genomics and AI platforms for liver cancer risk,” Dr. Juat shares, hinting at an AI initiative launching later in 2025. How do others participate? “International collaborators can reach out with ideas or projects,” she suggests. “We’re open.”

Engaging Stakeholders for Real World Impact

The NGS Center isn’t operating in a vacuum—it’s knitting a network with government, healthcare, and private players. The Department of Health (DOH) could play a bigger role via public-private partnerships, akin to India’s model. “One way the government can help is through that,” Dr. Juat says, noting lab techs are training abroad while the Philippine Cancer Center takes shape. On the private side, she proposes a clever fix for sustainability: “If a pharma company has a lung drug needing testing, five companies can split the 30,000-peso cost (approximately US$540)—5,000 each. It helps patients and pharma alike.”

Accessibility is addressed too. Partnering with Singapore Diagnostic Lab’s nationwide branches, “patients don’t have to come to Manila,” she explains. “They go to their local lab, get their sample taken, and it’s sent to us.” At half the price of, say, a known NGS testing company in the US, this covers 72 NCCN-approved genes, making precision medicine less a luxury, more a reality. “Economies of scale dictate that the more tests are performed, the lower the cost of testing,” she says, envisioning a future where genomic care becomes a routine part of local healthcare.

Personalized Medicine in Action: Leveraging Regional Data for Global Impact

Dr. Juat sees the NGS Center as more than a local win—it’s a step toward global relevance. “After a year, we’ll have data for a paper,” she predicts, envisioning a molecular registry that could shape drug development worldwide. Emerging areas like personalized medicine and AI-driven bioinformatics top her priority list. Cell Works uses machine learning to predict treatment responses,” she says. “Our own AI plans? We’ll launch this year—it’s about helping patients get the best treatment.”

Positioning the Philippines as a leader means staying innovative. “Our partners are up to date,” Dr. Juat insists. “We’re doing bioinformatics, machine learning, building a data center to compare results globally.” She hopes to mirror Thailand’s Genomics Thailand, sequencing specifically for Filipinos, not just Asians broadly. “That’s the benefit of having an NGS here,” she adds.

To achieve this vision, the NGS Center focuses on personalized medicine, using genomics to tailor treatments for individual patients. Dr. Juat stresses the importance of understanding the genetic makeup of Southeast Asian populations, like Filipinos, Thai, and Malaysians, to improve treatment effectiveness. “Genomics can change how we approach treatment, providing more tailored therapies.” Looking ahead, she expects the Philippines to benefit from advances in gene therapy, and the center is striving to make these treatments accessible for Filipino patients. This effort is helping the country move forward in global genomics.

Tackling Health Challenges Head-On

Cancer’s burden looms large in the Philippines, but Dr. Juat sees the center addressing wider gaps. “Educating patients on screening and early diagnosis is one,” she says. “If a patient has a family history of breast cancer, we can test for BRCA mutations, allowing for early detection and targeted prevention.” Precision medicine also reduces costs by ensuring doctors choose the right therapy for each patient, minimizing trial-and-error treatments, lowering side effects, and preventing unnecessary expenses. “For out-of-pocket patients, it’s a smarter, more efficient approach with less waste,” she adds.

Rare diseases are on her radar, too. “For rare malignancies, this will be helpful,” she notes. “If a mutation has no drug yet, we log it in the registry for future use.” Down the line, she predicts genomics will become “standard of care, like a regular lab test,” reducing costs as testing scales up—a shift she recalls from HER2’s early days.

And it’s not just about identifying the most appropriate medicine; it’s also about determining which cancer drugs will have the best therapeutic effect or the worst side effects on the patient. For instance, by analyzing genetic data, doctors can predict how a patient will respond to a specific drug—whether it will be highly effective, have minimal side effects, or cause severe adverse reactions. It’s like using a GPS: it doesn’t just tell you the destination, but also provides real-time guidance on which path is the smoothest, which one has roadblocks, and which might take you longer or put you at greater risk. This approach not only optimizes treatment outcomes but also significantly reduces the trial-and-error process, offering a safer and more efficient journey toward recovery.

The Best is Yet to Come

The successful launch of the NGS Center marks a major advancement for cancer treatment in the Philippines. This initiative introduces precision medicine tailored to individual patients, utilizing advanced genomic testing now available locally. Previously, the country relied on overseas labs, but now Filipino cancer patients can benefit from locally available faster and more affordable diagnostics. The collaboration goes beyond testing, offering comprehensive support like genetic counseling and digital tools. The center plans to establish a Filipino genomic database, enhance regional collaboration, and position the Philippines as a leader in Southeast Asian genomics. With plans for AI integration and international partnerships, it aims to redefine patient outcomes and elevate the standards of cancer care.

As the NGS Center continues its journey, Dr. Juat’s optimism and commitment to innovation shine through. “This is just the beginning,” she concluded. “The best is yet to come, and we’re excited to be part of this global movement to change the future of medicine.” For now, the NGS Center stands as a bold leap—rooted in Filipino needs, by integrating local data with regionally and racially relevant insights, powered by global technology, set to transform healthcare—one patient at a time.

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Author

Bernice Lottering