On September 1, 2020 Brisbane Cancer patients reported that it will soon have access to the latest in personalised cancer diagnoses with the launch of a validation study of genomiQa’s whole genome analysis platform, CapeDX, in partnership with Icon Group (Press release, QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute, SEP 1, 2020, View Source [SID1234564186]).

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genomiQa is a spin-off company from QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute and is focused on bringing precision whole genome analytics into routine clinical practice.

genomiQa’s CapeDX platform supports the personalisation of a patient’s cancer treatment by analysing the whole genome of the patient (hereditary) and their cancer tumour.

The pilot study will be conducted in collaboration with Icon Cancer Centre Wesley – part of the global Icon Group – and will involve genomic testing of up to 15 patients.

Based on genomiQa’s analysis of the patients’ genomes, each patient may be matched to the most suitable treatment option for their cancer, including approved drugs and those available through clinical trials.

genomiQa’s CEO, Colin Albert, said the validation study was a major step towards rolling out the company’s precision analytics platform more widely.

"Through this pilot study, we will validate genomiQa’s offerings and service delivery," Mr Albert said.

"Our partnership with Icon Group is essential to the success of the project, and the fact that Icon has a rich history of supporting world leading research is a key benefit."

Icon Group’s Director of Research, Dr John Bashford, said the company’s principle was that every patient deserved the opportunity to have the best and latest treatment that was appropriate for them.

"We are delighted to offer patients the opportunity to access this Australian-first study and ensure treatment is personalised to their unique genomic information," Dr Bashford said.

"No other technique currently simultaneously examines the hereditary drivers of cancers as well as more than 1500 known cancer genes in a tumour."

The CEO of Rare Cancer Australia, Richard Vines, has welcomed the pilot study.

"The challenge we face is that more than 145 000 people are diagnosed with cancer in Australia every year, and we have been treating the symptoms not the root cause," Mr Vines said.

"But with the advent now of technology like genomiQa’s, it may give patients more reason to hope."

This project is supported by the Commonwealth Department of Industry, Science, Energy and Resources through the Entrepreneurs’ Programme, which has contributed nearly $500 000 of matched funding.

The rest of the funding was provided by QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute, which supports the commercialisation of discoveries by the Institute’s scientists.

This Commonwealth Government grant will also support the accreditation of genomiQa’s whole genome analysis product for rare diseases, Gulf DX.

On September 1, 2020 Carina Biotech and biopharmaceutical company Biosceptre reported that they have signed an agreement that will see the advancement of a promising cancer immunotherapy (Press release, Carina Biotech, SEP 1, 2020, http://carinabiotech.com/carina-biotech-completes-its-first-commercial-agreement/ [SID1234564185]).

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Biosceptre, developing targeted therapeutics and immune-oncology products, have acquired the exclusive rights to Carina Biotech’s nfP2X7-targeted CAR-T cells and associated intellectual property, which have shown encouraging cancer-killing capacity against a number of cancers in pre-clinical testing. Biosceptre and Carina will collaborate to further develop the nfP2X7 CAR-T program, with the aim of advancing towards clinical trials in the near future. Under the terms of the deal, Carina received an upfront cash payment and equity in Biosceptre.

Deborah Rathjen, PhD, CEO of Carina Biotech, said: "This agreement with Biosceptre represents a significant milestone for Carina as the first commercial agreement involving our proprietary CAR-T technology. We believe that nfP2X7-targeting CAR-T cells hold significant promise as a potential treatment for a range of solid cancers, and we are pleased to be working with Biosceptre to further bolster their pipeline of therapies exploiting the novel nfP2X7 target."

"I would like to pay particular tribute to the Carina Board of Directors, led by our Chair Dr Leanna Read, for their role in bringing this deal to fruition," Dr Rathjen added.

Gavin Currie, CEO of Biosceptre said: "With this deal we are building on our commitment to therapies focussed on non-functional P2X7, a cancer target that has been shown to be present on the majority of cancers. Our goal is to bring novel therapeutics to patients suffering from a wide range range of malignancies, and CAR-T therapy is an important part of our immune-oncology approach."

ABOUT nfP2X7
P2X7 is an ATP-gated cation channel on the surface of some normal cells. In response to certain extracellular conditions, P2X7 forms a pore in the cell that is associated with the induction of cell death. It was demonstrated by Biosceptre that a dysfunctional variant of P2X7 (nfP2X7) is expressed by cancer cells and is unable to open the large pore that drives normal cell death. Biosceptre has shown that nfP2X7 is widely distributed on over 20 types of cancer yet substantially absent in healthy cell types – making it an ideal target to treat cancer.

In 2015, Carina founding CEO Dr Justin Coombs, together with Professor Simon Barry and his laboratory at the Women’s & Children’s Hospital, created the first CAR-T cells targeted against nfP2X7. Carina Biotech has since demonstrated pre-clinical anti-cancer activity against a broad range of cancer types including prostate, breast and ovarian cancers.