Lunit, a medical artificial intelligence (AI) company, is joining forces with 10x Genomics, a U.S. life sciences firm, to discover biomarkers that can predict which patients will respond effectively to cancer treatments.
Lunit announced on Friday that it will collaborate with 10x Genomics to research and identify biomarkers for predicting cancer therapy responses.
10x Genomics, established in 2012, is a Nasdaq-listed global leader in spatial biology. This cutting-edge field analyzes not only gene expression in individual cells within tissues but also their spatial location and interactions with neighboring cells.
The collaboration’s cornerstone is the integration of 10x Genomics’ gene analysis technology with Lunit’s AI-powered pathology analysis. 10x Genomics will incorporate Lunit’s AI biomarker platform, Lunit Scope IO, into its tumor research protocols.
The two companies will analyze the same tumor tissue using complementary approaches. 10x Genomics will employ its spatial analysis platforms, Xenium and Atera, to examine gene expression at the cellular level. Lunit will use AI to analyze hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) stained tissue slides, quantifying cancer and immune cell distribution and structure.
This partnership aims to correlate tumor characteristics identified through genetic analysis with their manifestation in pathology images. The ultimate goal is to develop novel biomarkers by combining these datasets, potentially predicting the efficacy of specific cancer treatments.
Lunit Scope IO is an AI-powered platform that analyzes the tumor microenvironment (TME). It classifies patients’ immune phenotypes by examining immune cell distribution and morphology around cancer cells, and has been instrumental in predicting immunotherapy responses across various cancer types.
Lunit is expanding its reach beyond AI imaging diagnostics into the biomarker business for drug development. This strategic move aims to assist pharmaceutical companies in identifying patients likely to respond well to treatments during clinical trials, thus broadening AI applications in cancer drug development and precision medicine.
The collaboration will initially focus on antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs) and immunotherapies, areas of intense global competition in drug development. ADCs are innovative therapies that attach potent cancer drugs to antibodies targeting cancer cells, enabling selective drug delivery.
Lunit Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Seo Beom-seok emphasized the significance of 10x Genomics, a global leader in spatial biology, choosing Lunit’s technology for their tumor research. He expressed commitment to discovering novel biomarkers that bridge molecular information with pathology images.
Roman Yelensky, Vice President of Clinical Applications at 10x Genomics, stated that integrating molecular data with AI analysis could provide researchers with deeper insights into tumors. He anticipates this collaboration will accelerate the discovery of biomarkers crucial for developing targeted treatment strategies.