BostonGene and Thomas Jefferson University Announce Research Collaboration

A Study to Identify Predictive Correlates and Biomarkers of Response for Patients with Head & Neck Cancer

WALTHAM, Mass.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--BostonGene Corporation, a biomedical software company committed to defining optimal precision medicine-based therapies for cancer patients, today announced a research collaboration with Thomas Jefferson University and the Sidney Kimmel Cancer Center – Jefferson Health for a study from the window of opportunity trial of Nivolumab and Tadalafil for patients with squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck.

The Sidney Kimmel Cancer Center – Jefferson Health, a National Cancer Institute (NCI)-designated clinical cancer center providing cancer care at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital, based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, is a clinical and research enterprise with four advanced care hubs located throughout the Greater Philadelphia regions and staffed by hundreds of oncology researchers and physicians from around the globe.

The research collaboration aims to evaluate the molecular, cellular and immunologic profiles of head and neck cancer patients treated with Nivolumab and Tadalafil. As part of the collaboration, BostonGene will apply its integrated whole exome and whole transcriptome analysis to simultaneously assess the activity of the tumor and tumor microenvironment of patients at distinct disease stages ranging from localized to metastatic disease. The analysis will include the identification of significant somatic alterations, evaluation of gene expression patterns, estimation of tumor heterogeneity, TCR and BCR repertoires and microenvironment classification among other molecular features.

"Leveraging BostonGene’s detailed analysis will allow us to comprehensively assess the molecular profile of head and neck cancer patients treated with Nivolumab and Tadalafil," said Joseph Curry, MD, Member of the Sidney Kimmel Cancer Center and Associate Professor of Otolaryngology at Thomas Jefferson University. "Using a data analytical approach to evaluate the molecular portrait and tumor microenvironment composition will help us to predict the benefits of the particular combination therapy for each patient.”

“We are excited to work with Thomas Jefferson University and the Sidney Kimmel Cancer Center – Jefferson Health on this study of patients with head and neck cancer to demonstrate the clinical utility of BostonGene’s platform,” said Andrew Feinberg, President and CEO at BostonGene. “The collaboration will validate the use of comprehensive molecular analysis to correlate tumor activity and cellular composition with response to therapy, creating a significant opportunity to improve personalized care for patients with head and neck cancer."

About BostonGene Corporation

BostonGene Corporation is pioneering the use of biomedical software for advanced patient analysis and personalized therapy decision making in the fight against cancer. BostonGene’s unique solution performs sophisticated analytics to aid clinicians in their evaluation of viable treatment options for each patient's individual genetics, tumor and tumor microenvironment, clinical characteristics and disease profile. BostonGene’s mission is to enable physicians to provide every patient with the highest probability of survival through optimal cancer treatments using advanced, personalized therapies. For more information, visit BostonGene at http://www.BostonGene.com.