MANHATTAN BEACH, Calif. & DURHAM, N.C.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The Pancreatic Cancer Action Network (PanCAN) and GeneCentric Therapeutics, Inc. today announced that they have entered into a collaborative research partnership for the advancement of RNA-based molecular signatures for pancreatic cancer disease progression and drug response. The collaboration will combine GeneCentric’s single patient RNA-based report, including its Pancreatic Cancer Subtype Profiler (PurIST™) for subtyping pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma tumors (PDAC), with PanCAN’s extensive collection of patient molecular and outcomes data generated through its scientific and clinical programs.
“GeneCentric is advancing promising molecular signatures of disease progression and drug response in pancreatic cancer based on tumor subtyping through next generation RNA sequencing of the tumor and tumor/immune microenvironment, and immunogenomics,” said Dr. Lynn Matrisian, Chief Science Officer of PanCAN. “The collaboration, which will involve profiling and data analyses from our Know Your Tumor® program and Precision PromiseSM adaptive clinical trial, is designed to advance our goals of improving treatment responses and survival of PDAC patients, accelerating the development of novel therapies and defining potential curative strategies for people diagnosed with this devastating disease.”
“PanCAN, with its leading-edge, innovative research programs to accelerate new therapies to the clinic and dramatically improve treatment options for pancreatic cancer patients, is an ideal partner for GeneCentric,” said Dr. Mike Milburn, President and CEO of GeneCentric. “We are honored to work with the PanCAN team and their renowned collaborators to advance and apply novel molecular signatures to support landmark initiatives such as the Precision Promise study as well as other pivotal research in the pursuit of cures for patients.”
The collaboration will involve two research projects and is focused on GeneCentric’s single patient molecular report, including two PurIST defined PDAC subtypes, Basal (gemcitabine/nab-paclitaxel responsive) and Classical (FOLFRINOX responsive). One study, aimed at the molecular characterization of potential treatment response, will be a retrospective analysis of patient data from the Know Your Tumor® Program at diagnosis and treatment outcome. The second initiative is in conjunction with PanCAN’s Precision PromiseSM clinical trial to assess molecular signatures of patients at enrollment and association with treatment responses. The three-year study will enable application of the range of GeneCentric’s current PDAC as well as pan-cancer tumor and immunogenomic signatures of treatment response, as well as exploration of novel PDAC-related signatures.
About the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network
The Pancreatic Cancer Action Network (PanCAN) is dedicated to fighting the world’s toughest cancer. In our urgent mission to save lives, we attack pancreatic cancer on all fronts: research, clinical initiatives, patient services and advocacy. Our effort is amplified by a nationwide network of grassroots support. We are determined to improve outcomes for today’s patients and those diagnosed in the future.
About GeneCentric Therapeutics, Inc.
GeneCentric Therapeutics, Inc., based in Research Triangle Park, N.C., is an RNA-based genomic solutions provider. The company’s technologies are designed to parse the complexity of tumor and immune biology to discover and develop signatures of responder populations to oncology drugs. GeneCentric is commercializing its technology through strategic collaborations with pharmaceutical, biotechnology and diagnostics companies in applications throughout pre-clinical testing, clinical drug development and commercialization lifecycle phases. In addition to bladder cancer, GeneCentric has gene expression-based Cancer Profilers for lung, head and neck, pancreatic, kidney, glioblastoma, melanoma and multiple myeloma, as well as signatures to characterize therapeutic cancer targets such as PD(L)-1, PARP, FGFR2/3, and specific cytokines. For more information, please visit www.genecentric.com
