On May 11, 2021 Heligenics, Inc. reported a new collaboration with The Jackson Laboratory (JAX) (Press release, Heligenics, MAY 11, 2021, View Source;the-jackson-laboratory-announce-new-collaboration-on-erbb2-breast-cancer-gene-301288500.html [SID1234579723]). This joint project will make available the functional output of Variants of Unknown Significance (VUS) throughout key portion of the ERBB2 gene through the JAX Clinical Knowledgebase (CKB), a digital resource that connects clinicians and researchers around the globe in order to interpret complex cancer genomic profiles.
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"This is a fabulous partnership that will help modernize and expand variant interpretation for key cancer genes," says Dr. Martin R. Schiller, CEO at Heligenics. "JAX is bringing a lot to the table and is a valued partner."
Heligenics’ proprietary GigaAssay process measures causal functional impact of all mutants in a gene in 4 to 5 months while it takes other technologies decades to identify just a single marker. This collaboration will lead to future clinical trials, research grants, and publications to advance the fight against cancers, offering patients hope by identifying actionable ERBB2 variants for potential treatment.
CKB currently provides extensive information relevant to interpretation of cancer-related genomic data, including thousands of genevariant descriptions, therapies, as well as evidence of therapeutic efficacy, accessbile through a web-based application.
JAX-CKB can help increase clinician confidence in completeness and accuracy of the information related to the patient’s tumor genomic profile. For translational and clinical researchers, JAX-CKB provides thousands of literature citations, FDA drug labels, and clinical trials relative to a tumor’s genomic mutational profile, resulting in a clear and up-to-date picture of discoveries and active developments for a variety of biomarkers.
"Heligenics’ GigaAssay technology has the potential to advance genomic interpretation, and we are excited for the opportunity to provide large scale interpretation of previously unknown genomic variants to our users, with the hope of connecting patients to relevant treatment options that otherwise may not have been identified," says Sara Patterson, Ph.D. manager, clinical analytics and curation at JAX.
The benefits of this new collaboration include:
Identifying the impact of thousands of poorly understood ERBB2 mutations
Enhancing the understanding of how ERBB2 mutations cause various types of breast and other cancers, including gastric cancer
Testing of 95% of possible mutants being tested for functional impact in 5 months – a dramatic improvement over today’s less than 8% of possible ERBB2 mutants characterized after more than 25 years of study
Analyzing, retrospectively, how the gene mutation/function library data can improve patient outcomes
Providing additional insight into breast and other cancers caused by these genetic mutations through a collaboration of research and publications
"This collaboration with Heligenics will allow us to define new therapeutic targets for cancer patients," said Jens Rueter, M.D., medical director at JAX’s Maine Cancer Genomics Initiative (MCGI). "Ultimately, this has the potential to lead to new treatment options for cancer patients, including the many patients and families affected by cancer in Maine."