This collaboration will leverage the combination of genetic data and clinical oncology expertise from MD Anderson with supercomputers and advanced machine-learning software from Gene Network Sciences (GNS). Financial terms of the agreement were not disclosed.
The glioblastoma dataset produced by MD Anderson researchers, which includes genetic, genomic, and clinical endpoint data (3-D Data), will be analyzed using GNS’s supercomputer-driven Reverse Engineering and Forward Simulation (REFS) software platform. These analyses are expected to generate models that enable the discovery of key genes, proteins and other molecular entities that together, as a network, causally drive glioblastoma disease progression, disease recurrence, and survival.
The results from these projects will include the identification of new combination drug targets for disease and the development of diagnostics to determine appropriate individual patient treatments.
The parties plan to transform this coherent clinical 3-D Data into computer models which link genetic alterations to changes in gene expression to progression-free patient survival times. The parties will utilize MD Anderson’s clinical expertise to validate the discoveries and will work with strategic partners to make drugs and diagnostics stemming from these discoveries available to patients.
Colin Hill, CEO of GNS, said: “GNS is excited to be working with one of the world’s foremost research and clinical care institutions to rapidly translate lab bench research into bedside results. Our collaborative work with MD Anderson is one of the first examples of applying next-generation machine-learning software and supercomputers to begin to realize the promise of personalized medicine.”