AI biotech firm Owkin introduced a partnership with pharma large AstraZeneca to develop an AI-powered software designed to prescreen for gBRCA mutations (gBRCAm) in breast most cancers immediately from digitized pathology slides.
In response to Owkin, BRCA testing, which identifies mutations within the BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes, performs an vital position in deciding an individual’s threat for creating sure cancers, notably breast and ovarian cancers.
The purpose of the software is to hurry up and enhance entry to gBRCS testing that some sufferers is probably not thought of for.
The software will make the most of high-quality knowledge from greater than 6,500 complete slide photographs from resections and biopsies of just about 2,000 sufferers, half of which have the gBRCA mutation.
Owkin works with Gustave Roussy and The Centre Léon Bérard by way of PortrAIt, a French consortium to expedite precision medication through AI-enabled digital pathology.
“We’re excited to collaborate with AstraZeneca to convey the advantages of AI to BRCA testing with the gBRCA Pre-Display screen resolution,” Dr. Thomas Clozel, CEO of Owkin, mentioned in a press release.
“Throughout Breast Most cancers Consciousness Month, it is particularly vital to spotlight how by streamlining the diagnostic course of for figuring out BRCA mutation standing, we will increase entry to BRCA testing and establish extra gBRCAm sufferers extra quickly. Our purpose is to generate the absolute best medical proof by way of a number of scientific research, making genetic testing extra accessible and exact, and due to this fact cut back the inequity of care by permitting extra sufferers to learn from tailor-made care.”
In response to Owkin, BRCA testing, which acknowledges mutations within the BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes, performs a significant position in figuring out a person’s threat for creating sure cancers, together with breast and ovarian cancers. In consequence, realizing the BRCA standing of breast most cancers sufferers is essential to assist establish familial threat and steer remedy choices, together with responses to focused therapies.
“On common, a girl with a BRCA1 or BRCA2 gene mutation has as much as a 7 in 10 probability of being recognized with breast most cancers by age 80,” Kristina Rodnikova, head of world industrial diagnostics, oncology at AstraZeneca, mentioned in a press release.
“This collaboration with Owkin underscores our dedication to advancing precision medication, serving to deal with the unmet want and figuring out sufferers susceptible to harboring BRCA mutations to enhance their outcomes.”
THE LARGER TREND
In 2021, Owkin scored a $180 million (€135 million) funding from pharma large Sanofi.
The 2 corporations introduced that they’d work collectively on discovery and growth initiatives for breast and lung most cancers, in addition to mesothelioma and a number of myeloma, with a complete cost of $90 million (€79.7 million).
In June, oncology-focused digital therapeutics firm Mika Well being partnered with AstraZeneca and Daiich Sankyo, for a undertaking referred to as “UNITE” to supply digital therapeutics to girls present process breast most cancers therapies.
Mika Well being’s app offers most cancers sufferers entry to psychological help, with a purpose of lowering disease-related nervousness, despair and stress. Sufferers can observe unwanted effects from their medicines and obtain remedy reminders, receive schooling and diet recommendation, and arrange appointments.
In 2023, Absci, an AI antibody-discovery know-how firm, entered right into a $247 million partnership with pharma large AstraZeneca, to concentrate on expediting the invention of latest most cancers therapies utilizing genAI know-how. The undertaking will make the most of Absci’s Built-in Drug Creation platform and AstraZeneca’s oncology R&D information.
