ASLAN Pharma and ACT Genomics sign oncology collaboration agreement

Singapore-based biotech company ASLAN Pharmaceuticals and ACT Genomics have announced a collaboration to perform detailed studies of the genomic background to extreme therapeutic responses in which clinical trial patients show better than expected treatment response rates in certain instances.

ASLAN has an advanced portfolio of pathway inhibitors, immune checkpoint inhibitors and tumor metabolism stress molecules aimed at targeting Asia-prevalent tumour types including breast, gastric and bile duct cancers. Using ACT’s next generation sequencing and multiplex molecular testing platform, ASLAN will investigate several major responses demonstrated in clinical trials of its lead development programme, ASLAN001, a potentially best-in-class small molecule pan-HER inhibitor, in breast cancer and cholangiocarcinoma (bile duct cancer). Specifically, in trials of ASLAN001 conducted in cholangiocarcinoma one patient showed 87% tumour shrinkage over a prolonged period of time, which is uncommon in this severe form of cancer.

Bertil Lindmark, chief scientific officer of ASLAN, said: “We are very excited by the degree of clinical response we have seen in trials of ASLAN001 to date, and are looking forward to the opportunity to work with ACT Genomics to gain a greater understanding of the genomic background behind particular patients’ super responses to certain treatments. The collaboration with ACT provides ASLAN with access to ground-breaking genomic expertise with the potential to transform cancer genomic information into precision diagnosis, improved cancer assays and, ultimately, better clinical outcomes for patients.”