Caris Life Sciences, a AI TechBio company and precision medicine pioneer, has announced a multi-year research collaboration with ECOG-ACRIN Cancer Research Group.
With the agreement, Caris pairs its comprehensive genomic, transcriptomic and proteomic profiling, advanced artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning algorithms with ECOG-ACRIN ‘s research capabilities. The first project leverages the tumour tissue samples from the AILORx breast cancer clinical trial, one of the world’s largest breast cancer research resources. The TAILORx trial and its associated biospecimen collections and biobanking was supported by the National Cancer Institute (NCI), part of the National Institutes of Health, and the trial was designed and led by ECOG-ACRIN Group with participation of all the NCI Cooperative Groups.
The TAILORx project will continue to explore early-stage breast cancer, where the risk of recurrence is a primary concern for many people. A TAILORx analysis published in JAMA Surgery is the first to show that racial and ethnic differences in locoregional breast cancer recurrence patterns are prevalent even in a clinical trial population with similar access to care.
“I’m excited to build on the trial’s initial findings which prevented millions of women with early breast cancer from having to endure toxic treatments, to continue discerning valuable insights related to long term recurrence risk and to identify even more women who may benefit from more efficient treatment options,” said George W Sledge Jr, MD, EVP and Chief Medical Officer of Caris. “It is truly a full circle moment for me, as I’ve been involved with this landmark biomarker trial – the largest ever sponsored by the NCI – during trial development, patient enrolment, findings reporting and now the next phase of research of TAILORx with Caris.”
“Our collaboration with Caris has deep roots, aligned interests, and a commitment to develop the best science in the service of early detection and treatment of cancer,” said Peter J O’Dwyer, MD, Group Co-Chair of ECOG-ACRIN. “The promise of the joint effort is to provide broad availability of cutting-edge options for cancer patients in their communities.”
As part of the project, Caris will perform comprehensive molecular characterisation (whole exome and transcriptome sequencing) on tumour tissues contributed by nearly 10,000 patients with early-stage breast cancer who participated in the TAILORx trial. Participants have been followed for 11 years or more, with planned follow-up for 20 years. Caris will couple its molecular testing with its advanced AI and machine learning algorithms. Data from the project will also be made publicly available after a designated time-period following completion of the research project plan in an appropriate NCI database.