Software company io9 has released data showing that its AI-powered biomarker test outperforms next-generation sequencing in first-line cancer treatment.

OncoGaze is an AI-based platform designed to identify biomarkers that can help determine the best initial treatment for cancer patients. DeepHRD is a specific biomarker test within the platform that detects homologous recombination deficiency (HRD), a genetic feature found in some cancers.

In the validation study – published in the Journal of Clinical Oncology, a journal of the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) – DeepHRD showed superior performance compared to US Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved HRD companion diagnostics in 141 ovarian cancer and 349 breast cancer patients.

DeepHRD identified 1.8 to 3.1 times more patients with HRD who show better responses to targeted treatments for metastatic breast and ovarian cancers. The California-headquartered company said that DeepHRD significantly expedites treatment decisions, expands the pool of treatable patients, and improves clinical outcomes through more effective detection and ease of use.

HRD detection is important because cancers with this deficiency often respond well to certain treatments such as PARP inhibitors or platinum-based drugs. By identifying HRD more effectively, DeepHRD helps doctors choose the right treatment for patients with cancers such as high-grade serous ovarian cancer, and metastatic breast cancer.  

In the study, metastatic breast cancer patients identified by DeepHRD as having HRD had better complete response and progression-free survival with platinum therapies while ovarian cancer patients’ treatment with platinum therapies showed improved overall survival.

Senior author of the study and io9's chief scientific officer Ludmil Alexandrov said: “Precision medicine has transformed outcomes for cancer patients, but many with advanced cancer who are eligible for precision therapy are not receiving the right first-line treatments because the journey from diagnosis to therapeutic selection is costly, time-consuming, and confusing.”

The OncoGaze technology was developed by the University of California San Diego and is exclusively licensed by io9. Founded in 2021, io9 plans to expand the platform to include more biomarkers, including KRAS, EGFR and BRAF to target a wider variety of cancers.

More researchers are turning to precision medicine to improve cancer care. Experts in the field have said that further research into biomarkers and more advanced diagnostic tools will be required to drive the development of next-generation precision medicine.

AI is expected to bolster the advancement of precision medicines. According to a report on GlobalData’s Medical Intelligence Center, AI in the medical market was worth $336m in 2022 and is expected to grow to $1.2bn by 2027.