ASLAN Pharmaceuticals (ASLAN), an oncology-focused biotechnology company, and ACT Genomics (ACT), a cancer molecular information services company, have inked a collaboration agreement to perform detailed studies of the genomic background to extreme oncology 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 tumour metabolism stress molecules aimed at targeting Asia-prevalent tumour types including breast, gastric and bile duct cancers.

Leveraging ACT’s next generation sequencing and multiplex molecular testing platform, ASLAN will investigate several major responses demonstrated in clinical trials of the company’s 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 per cent tumour shrinkage over a prolonged period of time, which is uncommon in this severe form of cancer.

Commenting on the agreement, Dr. Bertil Lindmark, chief scientific officer, ASLAN Pharmaceuticals 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.”

Dr. Hua Chien Chen, chief executive officer of ACT Genomics, added “Every patient’s cancer is unique at the molecular level. The cancer molecular information is playing a critical role in patient stratification for clinical trials. We are pleased to work with ASLAN Pharmaceuticals to accelerate new targeted cancer drug development, all with the same goal of driving a transformation in cancer treatment.”