NEW YORK – AstraZeneca will evaluate C2i Genomics' whole-genome minimal residual disease assay and cancer-monitoring platform for use in clinical research and drug development efforts, the companies announced Thursday.
The agreement is an extension of a previous collaboration in which the companies evaluated C2i Genomics' minimal residual disease (MRD) test across multiple solid cancers using artificially generated samples. The test was able to detect circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA), which was present at varying levels in the samples, down to 0.002 percent allelic frequency, the firms said.
As part of this expansion, AstraZeneca will validate C2i Genomics' assay and cloud-based platform on patient-derived samples.
"We're looking forward to our continued collaboration with AstraZeneca to see where the power of our technologies can support the development of more effective cancer treatments for the patients that urgently need it," said Asaf Zviran, CEO and cofounder of C2i Genomics, in a statement.
C2i Genomics' platform applies its artificial intelligence — which identifies patient-specific patterns — to a patient's whole-genome sequencing data to pinpoint minimal residual disease and treatment resistance by detecting ctDNA present in plasma from a small blood sample. AstraZeneca is exploring the possibility of using the test to improve treatment monitoring and clinical trial recruitment.
C2i Genomics, a startup founded in 2019, previously participated in AstraZeneca's BeyondBio Innovation Hub program for Israeli startups. Though headquartered in New York, C2i Genomics has a CLIA-certified lab in Cambridge, Massachusetts, and an R&D center in Israel.