ABION today announced the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Deep Bio, a pioneering leader in AI-powered digital pathology. This strategic collaboration is designed to leverage cutting-edge AI technologies to enhance cancer diagnostics, optimize the development of cancer therapeutics, and accelerate clinical trials.
Under the terms of the agreement, ABION will integrate Deep Bio's advanced AI-driven c-MET immunohistochemistry (IHC) interpretation services into its clinical development programs. This includes the application of AI technology to ABION's key pipeline assets, ABN401 (vabametkib) and ABN101, to bolster the precision of in vitro diagnostic (IVD) and companion diagnostic (CDx) services. The collaboration aims to expedite clinical trials by improving patient recruitment and identification, particularly within the scope of ABION's ongoing combination trials involving vabametkib and lazertinib.
Commenting on the partnership, June Yeong Choi, Vice President of ABION stated, "Incorporating Deep Bio's AI-powered IHC interpretation technology into our lung cancer therapeutic, vabametkib, marks a significant step forward in enhancing our clinical trial capabilities. This collaboration is expected to increase the competitiveness of our drug pipeline by enabling more precise and efficient patient stratification."
Sun Woo Kim, CEO of Deep Bio, added, "A critical challenge in clinical trials is the accurate identification of patient populations most likely to benefit from emerging therapies. Our DeepCDx solution is designed to address this challenge, thereby streamlining the clinical trial process and supporting ABION's pursuit of breakthrough cancer treatments."
ABION is progressing with combination trials of vabametkib and lazertinib, with initial patient recruitment anticipated later this year. The recent FDA approval of the lazertinib and amivantamab combination therapy for the first-line treatment of adult patients with locally advanced or metastatic non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) harboring EGFR exon 19 deletions or exon 21 L858R substitution mutations are expected to positively influence these trials, serving as a significant validation of ABION's therapeutic strategy.
To further extend its leadership in oncology, ABION is committed to expanding the application of AI technologies across various therapeutic areas through its ongoing collaboration with Deep Bio. By leveraging AI-powered companion diagnostics, this strategic initiative will support the acceleration of clinical trials across multiple indications.
Meanwhile, Deep Bio continues to set industry standards as a top-tier AI company in digital pathology, renowned for its groundbreaking AI-based prostate cancer diagnostic software, DeepDx Prostate, which has received CE-IVD certification in Europe. Leveraging its advanced AI capabilities, Deep Bio is expanding its focus to include the development of companion diagnostics, offering tailored solutions that enable biopharma companies to enhance the precision and impact of their drug development pipelines.