What MD Anderson Cancer Center does

MD Anderson Cancer Center is a public academic medical center and a component of The University of Texas System, established in 1941 and focused exclusively on cancer patient care, research, prevention, and professional education. The institution is headquartered in the Texas Medical Center in Houston and operates nine locations across Texas plus an international affiliate in Madrid, Spain, employing more than 10,000 people. It has been ranked the #1 hospital for cancer care in the United States by U.S. News & World Report for 36 consecutive years.

Its core clinical offerings span the full cancer-care continuum: surgery, chemotherapy, radiation therapy, immunotherapy, and cell therapy, supported by the largest clinical trial portfolio in oncology with 1,360+ active trials. Proprietary and advanced technology assets include hyperpolarized MR imaging, novel CAR T cell therapies (including a CD94-directed construct with approximately 3-day manufacturing for T/NK cell lymphomas), the ELI-002 KRAS-targeted pancreatic cancer vaccine (reported 84% T cell response rate), AI-driven precision oncology platforms (A-STEP predictive model, SOPHiA DDM integration, BostonGene multiomics), digital pathology tools (PathAI, Paige), the MCaST blood test in partnership with Quest, and radiopharmaceutical programs via Radiopharm Ventures. Educational infrastructure includes the MD Anderson School of Health Professions (14 degree programs, 415 students) and the MD Anderson UTHealth Houston Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, alongside the Kinder Children's Cancer Center operated jointly with Texas Children's.

The business model is that of a state-owned, non-profit academic medical system. Operating capital is sourced from insurance and patient-care billing, federal and private research grants (>$200M+ NIH funding indicated), philanthropy (including a $2.5 billion "Making Cancer History" campaign launched in 2025-11 and targeted cell therapy institute fundraising of $150M), clinical trial revenue, and JV-based commercial activities (CTMC with Resilience for cell therapy manufacturing, Radiopharm Ventures, Kinder Children's). Go-to-market is via physician referrals, direct patient self-referral, second opinions, the International Patient Center for global patients, and graduate admissions. Customer segments are individual cancer patients (including pediatrics via Kinder), referring physicians, international patients, and graduate trainees; there is no single concentrated customer and the payer mix is dominated by commercial insurance, Medicare, and Medicaid.

Name

MD Anderson Cancer Center

Legal name

The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center

Website

https://mdanderson.org

Company type

Public

Founded year

1941

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

5,001–10,000 employees

Short description

MD Anderson Cancer Center is a public academic medical center within The University of Texas System, providing comprehensive cancer treatment, research, and education across multiple Texas locations and a Madrid affiliate, serving cancer patients, referring physicians, and graduate trainees.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Oncology Hospital Services

NAICS

Specialty (except Psychiatric and Substance Abuse) Hospitals (622310), Offices of Physicians (62111), Diagnostic Imaging Centers (621512)

SIC

Services-Hospitals (8060), Services-General Medical & Surgical Hospitals, Nec (8062)

akta.pro primary industry

Oncology & Cancer Specialty Hospitals (HLAFAHAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

Academic Medical Centers (AMCs) & Teaching Hospitals (HLAFAAAA), Ambulatory Oncology Centers (Outpatient Chemo/Radiation) (HLAFABAI), Medical Oncology (HLAKAFAB)

Keywords

• Cancer treatment services
• Oncology clinical trials
• Cancer research programs
• Medical education programs
• Cancer prevention screening

Headquarters

HQ city

Houston

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices10 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D, Operations, Infrastructure, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Patient Care Services: Comprehensive cancer treatment services including surgery, chemotherapy, radiation therapy, immunotherapy, and clinical trials for patients diagnosed with cancer
2. Clinical Trials: Conducting hundreds of clinical trials testing new treatments for common and rare cancers, with over 1,360 active trials
3. Education and Training: Graduate medical education, nursing education, research training, and continuing professional education programs
4. Research Grants and Philanthropy: Federal funding (NIH), foundation grants, and donor contributions supporting cancer research programs

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

MD Anderson Cancer Center is a comprehensive cancer treatment and research institution providing patient care, clinical trials, and education services. It delivers diagnosis and treatment across all cancer types—including surgery, chemotherapy, radiation therapy, immunotherapy, and cellular therapies—supported by over 1,360 active clinical trials. The institution also operates degree-granting schools, conducts biomedical research, and runs prevention and screening programs through multiple Texas locations and an international patient center.

Product overview

MD Anderson Cancer Center is a comprehensive cancer center offering integrated patient care, research, and education services. The institution operates as a unified platform combining clinical services (treatment across all cancer types, clinical trials), research (multiple specialized institutes including Institute for Cell Therapy Discovery & Innovation, Institute for Data Science in Oncology), and education (School of Health Professions with 14 degree programs, Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences). Key offerings include specialized treatment programs such as pancreatic cancer care, cellular therapies like CAR T cell therapy, and cancer vaccines including ELI-002. The institution conducts over 1,360 clinical trials and maintains research training programs across all career stages.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Clinical Trials Program Comprehensive clinical trials program offering hundreds of trials testing new treatments for both common and rare cancers, providing patients access to innovative therapies not available elsewhere, with over 1,360 active trials.
• Cancer Treatment Services Treatment services across all cancer types including surgery, chemotherapy, radiation therapy, immunotherapy, and targeted therapy, delivered by multidisciplinary teams of specialists.
• Cancer Prevention & Screening Services Comprehensive prevention and screening programs including the Lyda Hill Cancer Prevention Center providing cancer risk assessment, screening, and diagnostic services for various cancer types.
• Pancreatic Cancer Treatment Program Comprehensive pancreatic cancer care including surgery (Whipple procedures), chemotherapy, radiation therapy, and clinical trials, with less than 1% surgical mortality rate.
• School of Health Professions Offers 14 degree programs in healthcare and biomedical sciences including Cytogenetic Technology, Cytotechnology, Diagnostic Imaging, Medical Dosimetry, Radiation Therapy, and Molecular Genetic Technology, with 415 students enrolled for 2025-26 academic year.
• MD Anderson UTHealth Houston Graduate School Graduate education collaboration between MD Anderson and UTHealth Houston offering Ph.D. programs, M.D./Ph.D. dual degree programs, and M.S. programs in biomedical sciences.
• Research Training Programs Comprehensive research training including postdoctoral training, predoctoral training, mentored faculty programs, and early career pathway programs for students from middle school to graduate level.
• ELI-002 Pancreatic Cancer Vaccine Investigational KRAS-targeted vaccine (ELI-002) targeting G12D and G12R mutations for pancreatic cancer patients to prevent recurrence after treatment. Phase I trial showed 84% T cell response rate.
• CAR T Cell Therapy for T/NK Cell Lymphomas Novel CAR T cell therapy targeting CD94+ relapsed or refractory T/NK cell lymphomas, the first therapy addressing this cancer type. Can be manufactured in approximately 3 days with novel BCMA safety switch.
• Tile-Based Brachytherapy for Melanoma Brain Metastases Tile-based brachytherapy treatment for stage 4 melanoma targeting brain metastases, demonstrating superior control of brain metastases compared to standard of care.

Quantifiable outcome

• Less than 1% mortality rate after pancreatic cancer surgery, over 6% lower than national average
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers8 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability19 records

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• BostonGeneminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 8 June 2026Collaboration on AI and multiomics platforms for blood cancer treatment optimization, including integrated molecular profiling for refining risk assessment, predicting CAR-T therapy resistance, and identifying biomarkers for patient selection.
• CTMC (Cell Therapy Manufacturing Center)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 25 May 2026Joint venture between Resilience and MD Anderson focused on cell therapy manufacturing in the Texas Medical Center. CTMC supports small biotech and academic groups through clinical trial phases with expertise in autologous cell therapy manufacturing.
• Banner MD AndersonminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 29 April 2026Partnership with DeepLook Medical, with Banner MD Anderson serving as lead researcher for upcoming breast surgery trials using AI-driven DL Precise software for tumor segmentation.
• Ochsner Health SystemcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 20 March 2026Partnership aimed at addressing cancer care needs in underserved Houston communities, positioning as a potential model for how hospitals respond to health challenges in medically underserved areas.
• LIXTE BiotechnologyminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 18 February 2026Expanded clinical trial collaboration with MD Anderson and GSK, doubling enrollment from 21 to 42 patients in ovarian clear cell cancer trial combining LB-100 with GSK's Dostarlimab.
• UT Medical CentercoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 18 February 2026Partnership for new medical campus in North Austin, west of J.J. Pickle Research Campus, including MD Anderson Cancer Center location and medical tower. Project expected to begin construction in 2026 and be completed by 2030.
• PranaXminorOEM/ Whitelabel/ Licensing Partner · 29 January 2026PranaX holds exclusive technology license from MD Anderson for stem cell-derived exosome products for regenerative dermatology and wellness applications. Company operates its own FDA-registered, GMP manufacturing facility.
• Radiopharm TheranosticscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 12 January 2026Joint venture developing radiopharmaceutical cancer treatments. Radiopharm increased its stake from 75% to 87.5%. Lead candidate BetaBart received FDA IND clearance in July 2025 with first patient dosing expected in Q1 2026.
• SOPHiA GENETICScoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 7 January 2026Strategic collaboration to advance AI-driven precision oncology by combining SOPHiA's analytics platform with MD Anderson's clinical expertise. Partners will co-develop a next-generation sequencing oncology test and launch research programs focused on tumor evolution characterization and genomic testing reliability.
• GSKminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 November 2025Clinical trial collaboration combining LIXTE's LB-100 with GSK's Dostarlimab for ovarian clear cell cancer treatment, with enrollment expanded from 21 to 42 patients.
• Quest DiagnosticscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 14 July 2025Developing the Multi-Cancer Stratification (MCaST) blood test to identify individuals at elevated risk for multiple cancers including colorectal, lung, breast, pancreatic, ovarian, liver, prostate, esophageal, and stomach cancers.
• Four Other Top Cancer CenterscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 19 April 2022Collaborative research network as part of $50 million Break Through Cancer initiative, enabling real-time, cross-institutional collaboration using new data systems to accelerate cancer research across multiple institutions.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves10 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Dana-Farber Cancer Institute: Harvard-affiliated comprehensive cancer center in Boston. Comparable as a top-ranked cancer research and treatment institution with strong clinical trials portfolio and academic affiliation, competing for complex cases and federal research funding.
• Stanford Cancer Institute: NCI-designated comprehensive cancer center at Stanford. Comparable in translational research, AI/digital health applications in oncology, and clinical trials portfolio, with similar academic medical center integration.
• Moffitt Cancer Center: NCI-designated comprehensive cancer center in Tampa, FL. Comparable as a standalone cancer specialty hospital with a research institute model, large clinical trials portfolio, and focus on personalized medicine and immunotherapy.
• Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center: Oldest NCI-designated cancer center in the U.S., focused exclusively on cancer treatment and research. Comparable in single-disease specialization, clinical trials portfolio, and translational research focus, though at smaller scale.
• Mayo Clinic Comprehensive Cancer Center: NCI-designated comprehensive cancer center integrated within the multi-site Mayo Clinic health system. Directly comparable in terms of multi-specialty clinical excellence, clinical trials volume, and patient outcomes focus, with greater geographic diversification.
• Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center: NCI-designated comprehensive cancer center in New York City. Closest peer to MD Anderson given similar scale, research output, brand reputation, and integrated patient care/research/education model. Both rank at the top of U.S. News cancer hospital rankings.
• City of Hope Comprehensive Cancer Center: NCI-designated comprehensive cancer center with major CAR-T and cellular therapy programs. Comparable as a top-tier research institution with overlapping focus on hematologic oncology and cell therapy, increasingly a peer in translational pipeline development.
• UCSF Helen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer Center: NCI-designated comprehensive cancer center in San Francisco. Comparable in precision oncology, immunotherapy research, and clinical trials activity, with similar academic medical center affiliation and translational pipeline focus.
• UCLA Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center: NCI-designated comprehensive cancer center embedded in a major academic medical center. Comparable in translational research output, NCI funding scale, and clinical trials activity, particularly in immunotherapy and precision oncology.
• Johns Hopkins Sidney Kimmel Cancer Center: NCI-designated comprehensive cancer center with strong research output and academic medical center integration. Comparable in clinical trials activity, NCI funding scale, and translational research capabilities.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/mdandersonnews
• YouTubeyoutube.com/c/mdanderson
• Facebookfacebook.com/MDAnderson
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/mdandersoncancercenter

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Subsidiaries4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds3 records

Investors2 records

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M&A

Investments2 records

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about MD Anderson Cancer Center