On April 13, 2022 EdiGene, Inc., a global biotechnology company focused on translating gene-editing technologies into transformative therapies for patients with serious genetic diseases and cancer, reported it has entered into a research collaboration with Peking University Cancer Hospital to understand gene mutation frequency and clinicopathologic features of patients with advanced colorectal cancer in China, and to advance the study of gene mutations relating to varying response rates to specific targeted therapies (Press release, EdiGene, APR 13, 2022, View Source [SID1234612166]). The research result is expected to enable the development of precision medicine for patients pre-screened by specific mutation patterns.

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"Patients with advanced colorectal cancer have great unmet medical needs in light of the current low long-term survival rates," said Professor Lin Shen, Director of the Department of Gastrointestinal Oncology and Vice President of Peking University Cancer Hospital, and Deputy Director of Beijing Institute for Cancer Research, "The gene mutation spectrum of advanced colorectal cancer is complicated, and targeted therapies need to be precisely applied to appropriate patient populations. By leveraging EdiGene’s systematic research on related genes responding to specific targeted therapy for advanced colorectal cancer, and our extensive research and practical experience, we will support the development of innovative therapies for patients with advanced colorectal cancer."

EdiGene’s high-throughput genome-editing screening platform uses high-throughput screening and bioinformatics analysis to develop new biomarkers and potential targeted therapies.

"Professor Lin Shen’s team is leading the field of gastrointestinal oncology in China with extensive expertise in colorectal cancer," said Dong Wei, Ph.D., CEO of EdiGene, "We have studied and verified the correlations of 1,300 genes with high mutation rates in colorectal cancer and specific response to targeted therapies using our proprietary high-throughput genome-editing screening technology. This collaboration will explore biomarkers that are applicable to patients in China with advanced colorectal cancer to identify targeted therapies best suited to treat their particular cancer."

The number of new colorectal cancer cases in China in 2020 is about 555,000, the second most commonly diagnosed cancer after lung cancer, and the highest number of new cases among gastrointestinal tumors, according to the World Health Organization.1 Early diagnosis is critical. The five-year survival rate is 90 percent for colorectal cancers diagnosed at an early stage compared to just 13 percent for those diagnosed at a late stage, according to the World Cancer Research Fund (WCRF) International.2

With four gene editing based therapeutic platforms, EdiGene has been developing ex vivo therapies, in vivo therapies, and targeted therapies.