WALTHAM, Mass. and KYOTO, Japan — BostonGene, developer of an advanced AI foundation model for cancer and immune system research, announced a new collaboration with Kyoto University to accelerate precision drug development and improve targeted therapies for patients with esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC).
The partnership aims to identify predictive biomarkers and refine personalized treatment strategies by integrating BostonGene’s AI-powered, multi-scale, omnimodal analytics platform with Kyoto University’s clinical research expertise. The study will analyze tumor molecular profiles to assess their correlation with responses to a combination of immune checkpoint inhibitor (ICI) and chemoradiotherapy (CRT) treatments.
This research builds on the NOBEL trial, an investigator-initiated clinical study led by Dr. Manabu Muto of Kyoto University. By incorporating genomic and transcriptomic profiling from ESCC patients, the collaboration seeks to uncover immune-related biomarkers that can inform drug development, enhance clinical trial design, and enable more accurate patient stratification.
As part of the partnership, Kyoto University will contribute patient data and clinical samples, while BostonGene will apply its AI-driven molecular analytics to identify key biological pathways and biomarkers linked to therapeutic response.
“This collaboration will generate actionable insights into the tumor microenvironment and immune landscape of esophageal cancer,” said Yukimasa Shiotsu, Ph.D., President of BostonGene Japan. “By combining Kyoto University’s clinical expertise with BostonGene’s AI-powered analytics, we will refine and advance precision treatment strategies for ESCC patients.”
Dr. Muto added, “Understanding the molecular and immune characteristics of ESCC is essential for developing more effective treatment strategies. Through this collaboration, we will apply cutting-edge AI-powered analytics to clinical data, enabling us to identify biomarkers that can directly inform treatment decisions and improve patient outcomes.”
