AI biotech company Owkin announced a partnership with pharma giant AstraZeneca to develop an AI-powered tool designed to prescreen for gBRCA mutations (gBRCAm) in breast cancer directly from digitized pathology slides.

According to Owkin, BRCA testing, which identifies mutations in the BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes, plays an important role in deciding a person's risk for developing certain cancers, notably breast and ovarian cancers. 

The aim of the tool is to speed up and increase access to gBRCS testing that some patients may not be considered for.

The tool will utilize high-quality data from more than 6,500 whole slide images from resections and biopsies of almost 2,000 patients, half of which have the gBRCA mutation.  

Owkin works with Gustave Roussy and The Centre Léon Bérard through PortrAIt, a French consortium to expedite precision medicine via AI-enabled digital pathology.

"We are excited to collaborate with AstraZeneca to bring the benefits of AI to BRCA testing with the gBRCA Pre-Screen solution," Dr. Thomas Clozel, CEO of Owkin, said in a statement.

"During Breast Cancer Awareness Month, it's especially important to highlight how by streamlining the diagnostic process for determining BRCA mutation status, we can expand access to BRCA testing and identify more gBRCAm patients more rapidly. Our goal is to generate the best possible medical evidence through multiple clinical studies, making genetic testing more accessible and precise, and therefore reduce the inequity of care by allowing more patients to benefit from tailored care."

According to Owkin, BRCA testing, which recognizes mutations in the BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes, plays a vital role in determining an individual's risk for developing certain cancers, including breast and ovarian cancers. As a result, knowing the BRCA status of breast cancer patients is key to help identify familial risk and steer treatment options, including responses to targeted therapies. 

"On average, a woman with a BRCA1 or BRCA2 gene mutation has up to a 7 in 10 chance of being diagnosed with breast cancer by age 80," Kristina Rodnikova, head of global commercial diagnostics, oncology at AstraZeneca, said in a statement. 

"This collaboration with Owkin underscores our commitment to advancing precision medicine, helping address the unmet need and identifying patients at risk of harboring BRCA mutations to improve their outcomes.”

THE LARGER TREND

In 2021, Owkin scored a $180 million (€135 million) investment from pharma giant Sanofi.

The two companies announced that they would work together on discovery and development initiatives for breast and lung cancer, as well as mesothelioma and multiple myeloma, with a total payment of $90 million (€79.7 million).

In June, oncology-focused digital therapeutics company Mika Health partnered with AstraZeneca and Daiich Sankyo, for a project called "UNITE" to provide digital therapeutics to women undergoing breast cancer treatments. 

Mika Health's app gives cancer patients access to psychological support, with a goal of reducing disease-related anxiety, depression and stress. Patients can track side effects from their medications and receive medication reminders, obtain education and nutrition advice, and organize appointments.

In 2023, Absci, an AI antibody-discovery technology company, entered into a $247 million partnership with pharma giant AstraZeneca, to focus on expediting the discovery of new cancer treatments using genAI technology. The project will utilize Absci's Integrated Drug Creation platform and AstraZeneca's oncology R&D knowledge.