Indiana University Health launches new Theranostics Center of Excellence with help from $40M commitment

Indiana University Health is opening a new Theranostics Center of Excellence as it seeks to deliver highly personalized treatment for cancer patients. 

The program combines advanced medical imaging, precision diagnostics and image-targeted therapies to bolster care for patients across Indiana. It’s fueled in part by a $20 million gift from donors, with IU matching the donation to bring the total impact to $40 million. 

Indiana University notes that theranostics—a combination of therapy and diagnostics—utilizes advanced imaging to identify the extent of disease and its location. It then delivers targeted treatment directly to the tumor, enabling radiologists and other physicians to personalize care based on the individual’s condition. 

"By combining image-based diagnosis, treatment and verification, we can better understand disease, tailor therapies to each patient and potentially improve outcomes while minimizing side effects,” Jason Allen, MD, PhD, chair of the Department of Radiology and Imaging Sciences and head of the IU Health Theranostics Center of Excellence, said in a statement Aug. 19. “These medicines offer new possibilities for patients, with the potential to improve quality of life and help patients spend more time doing what matters most to them."

IU notes that its home state occupies a unique position in the growing field of theranostics, with Indiana dubbed the “Radiopharmaceutical Capital of the World” last year. Establishing the center will further enhance the state’s radiopharma ecosystem, which includes academic institutions, industry partners and providers working together to translate scientific discovery into patient care. 

The initiative will use FDA-approved, precision-targeted therapies for prostate and neuroendocrine cancers. It also will seek to expand access to clinical trials and investigational treatments for other cancer types and diseases. Combined with the state’s only National Cancer Institute-designated comprehensive treatment center, IU hopes it can better advance the fight to end cancer. 

Long-term plans will include further expanding clinical services, advanced imaging capabilities and industry partnerships. IU also will look to bolster access to new investigational drugs and expand the availability of theranostics throughout the IU Health System. Allen colleagues plan to target locations across Indiana including Bloomington, Fort Wayne, Lafayette and the northern Indianapolis metro area. 

The new center of excellence program does not occupy a single location, instead enabling care in physical places across Indiana. 

“Our goal is simple: bring the most advanced therapies to patients as quickly as possible," Allen added. "We are building an ecosystem of excellence that spans discovery, clinical trials, imaging, treatment and patient care. Hoosiers will benefit from care close to home and other patients will be welcome to travel to Indiana to receive this level of specialized care."