The partnership enables Fox Chase to become the first NCI-designated Comprehensive Cancer Center to implement clinical testing utilizing Arima's 3D-genomics technology in multiple tumor types as part of a standard protocol.
PHILADELPHIA, PA and CARLSBAD, CA (January 8, 2026) — Fox Chase Cancer Center and Arima Genomics, Inc., a company leveraging whole-genome sequence and structure information to provide comprehensive cancer therapy selection insights, today announced that they have entered into a new partnership to bring advanced diagnostics based on analysis of the three-dimensional structure of DNA into broad clinical practice.
The collaboration with Fox Chase and its Cancer Epigenetics Institute will help physicians better identify genomic changes that traditional testing methods may miss, thus improving diagnosis and informing individualized cancer treatment, while also enabling cutting-edge research to help identify new drug targets and lead to new understandings of fundamental cancer biology.
This marks the first time a leading cancer center has partnered with Arima to integrate clinical testing and research together at scale. This partnership allows the Cancer Epigenetics Institute to leverage Arima's Hi-C based technology — an approach that captures how DNA folds and interacts inside the cell — into its diagnostic workflows for lymphoma and sarcoma through Arima’s AventaTM Lymphoma and Aventa FusionPlus tests, respectively.
The collaboration reflects the Cancer Epigenetics Institute’s commitment to accelerating innovation through strategic partnerships that integrate basic science, clinical research, and patient care.
“This partnership represents a true bench-to-bedside translation of discovery,” said Johnathan Whetstine, PhD, Director of the Cancer Epigenetics Institute. “Our longstanding relationship with Arima has evolved from basic research collaboration to clinical implementation. Together, we’re redefining how genome organization can guide diagnosis and treatment.”
A New Frontier: Diagnosing Cancer Through 3D DNA Structure
Unlike conventional DNA sequencing, which breaks the genome up into millions of tiny reads that lose their spatial relationships, Arima’s platform allows for analysis of the 3D architecture of the entire genome, revealing important structural changes. This expanded view offers more accurate insights into how a tumor forms and evolves.
In peer-reviewed studies and through clinical use at multiple institutions, Aventa tests have demonstrated their ability to identify gene fusions and rearrangements crucial to accurate cancer diagnosis and treatment.
“Arima’s Aventa tests provide the most sensitive detection for gene fusions and rearrangements, which are particularly important for the diagnosis and treatment of lymphomas and sarcomas, so we are thrilled that Fox Chase is showing the leadership to bring these tests to their patients on such a broad scale,” said Tom Willis, PhD, CEO of Arima Genomics.
“Beyond the proven clinical utility for our technology today, we’re excited for the potential of Hi-C sequencing to extract more actionable information from valuable patient samples while enabling the development of future therapies. We look forward to continuing our scientific collaborations with the Fox Chase team,” he said.
A First-of-Its-Kind Implementation
Fox Chase will become the first institution worldwide to implement clinical testing utilizing Arima's 3D-genomics technology as part of a standard protocol in multiple tumor types. Alongside the clinical use of the test, de-identified patient response data will be collected and analyzed, providing the institution’s researchers the opportunity to make new discoveries.
According to Whetstine, this approach goes beyond typical genetic testing.
“It allows us to see not just what genetic changes occur, but how the DNA itself is organized, information that may reveal new therapeutic targets or confirm findings with greater precision,” he said.
Guiding Diagnosis and Treatment
“Although there have been many advances in the treatment of lymphoma, the disease often will relapse into a state of unresponsiveness to the therapy that induced a remission,” said Peter Abdelmessieh, DO, MSC, Assistant Professor in Fox Chase’s Blood Cancer and Cellular Therapy Institute.
“Having access to this advanced tool from Arima provides a great benefit in guiding the diagnosis and treatment of patients with lymphoma,” added Abdelmessieh, who was instrumental in working with Whetstine to develop the partnership.
A Collaboration Years in the Making
The partnership builds on a longstanding scientific relationship between Arima Genomics and the Cancer Epigenetics Institute. Arima has served as both sponsor and guest speaker at the institute’s annual Epigenetics Symposium.
About Arima Genomics
Arima Genomics is redefining cancer diagnostics using whole-genome sequence and structure information. Arima’s assays enable a new era of comprehensive, clinically actionable therapy selection insights. The company serves oncologists through its CLIA-certified Aventa clinical testing laboratory in Orlando, Florida, and supports discovery-stage researchers worldwide with advanced kits and informatics. Learn more at www.arimagenomics.com and follow us on LinkedIn and X.