NEW YORK (GenomeWeb) – Cancer Genetics said today that it has signed a collaboration agreement to aid precision therapeutics firm Lantern Pharma in biomarker discovery, clinical trials, and genomics projects for its lead drug candidates.
"By developing targeted biomarker panels, in conjunction with Cancer Genetics, that can precisely sub-type patients based on the ability to be responsive to a treatment and then incorporating that into the selection and testing process, we can save years and tens of millions of dollars; thereby, making treatments more personalized and more accessible," Lantern CEO Arun Asaithambi said in a statement.
Lantern said that it has already identified predictive biomarkers for two of its drug candidates — Tavocept (LP-300) for non-small cell lung cancer and an investigational agent called LP-184 for multiple solid tumors — using proprietary advanced genomics and artificial intelligence-based algorithms. Moving forward, CGI will provide the drugmaker with additional biomarker development and testing services for further validation and potential companion diagnostic development.
Specifically, CGI said it will work to develop liquid-biopsy based tests for patient selection and monitoring in NSCLC with Tavocept. Lantern and CGI will also work on identifying subsets of responders to Tavocept and LP-184.
"Our collaboration with Lantern and their expertise in AI-driven drug development will enable a new level of usage and evaluation of our predictive biomarker and NGS panels," added Cancer Genetics CEO Panna Sharma. "Repurposing and rescuing promising drug compounds for accelerated clinical trials is a key component to precision medicine and improving the productivity of drug discovery."