TOKYO–BostonGene and Kyoto University have established a strategic research partnership focused on identifying biomarkers that could improve patient selection and clinical development for combination immunotherapy treatments in advanced gastrointestinal cancers.
The collaboration supports a multicenter Phase II clinical trial led by Manabu Muto, M.D., Professor at Kyoto University. The investigator-initiated study is evaluating the safety and efficacy of combining immune checkpoint inhibitors with photodynamic therapy in patients with advanced gastrointestinal cancers.
Meiji Seika Pharma Co., Ltd. is providing financial support for the trial.
BostonGene will use its artificial intelligence-driven molecular and immune profiling platform to analyze genomic, transcriptomic, immune and clinical data collected during the study. The company aims to identify molecular signatures and immune-response patterns associated with treatment response and resistance.
The findings could help researchers better understand which patients are most likely to benefit from the combination treatment and support the development of future biomarker-based clinical trials.
“By combining PDT with ICIs, our goal is to enhance anti-tumor responses in patients where current treatment options remain limited,” Muto said. “Applying BostonGene’s AI-driven molecular and immune system profiling capabilities allows us to better characterize the tumor microenvironment and identify the biological features associated with durable clinical benefit. Ultimately, this work will help us support more precise and personalized therapeutic strategies for patients with advanced cancers.”
BostonGene said its multimodal platform will integrate the different types of data generated through the trial to establish a biological framework for future patient stratification and combination therapy development.
“Integrating advanced AI-driven multiomics analysis into clinical development is essential for accelerating and de-risking next-generation oncology therapeutics,” said Yukimasa Shiotsu, Ph.D., President of BostonGene Japan. “This partnership allows us to better understand the biological mechanisms underlying response to ICI and PDT combination therapy and identify the patient populations most likely to benefit from these approaches.”
Insights from the study are expected to inform future clinical trial designs, biomarker-driven patient selection and the broader development of combination immunotherapy approaches.
