IRDS: Predictive 7-gene Signature for Breast Cancer Therapy

SUMMARY

• After surgical removal of breast cancer tumors, adjuvant chemotherapy and radiation therapy have an absolute survival benefit of just 5-10%. Currently approved breast cancer diagnostics do not predict patient responses to these treatment options, despite the capability of such a diagnostic to avoid unnecessarily exposing patients to toxic side effects.
• From 52 differentially expressed genes, the investigators found 7 genes that successfully predict patient overall survival in response to chemotherapy or radiation therapy. The 7 genes are IFN stimulated and mediate cellular response to DNA damage.
• The invention is a signature of 7 genes that can be used to predict breast cancer resistance to DNA damage. Lower resistance to DNA damage pinpoints patients that will benefit from chemotherapy and radiation therapy.
• The gene signature was validated in a retrospective dataset of 295 early stage breast cancer patients (HR=1.2).

FIGURE

Patients who received adjuvant chemotherapy (green, n=110) and those who did not (orange, n=185) were classified using the clinically approved Mammaprint gene signature (NKI 70) as having a good (NKI70 -) or poor (NKI 70+) prognosis. The poor prognosis patients were further stratified with the invention gene signature (IRDS). IRDS (-) patients have increased sensitivity to chemotherapy, evident in comparing the Kaplan-Meier survival curves of the two treatment groups. 

ADVANTAGES

ADVANTAGES

• Clear binary results
• Prevents unnecessary toxic treatments
• Assesses breast cancer patients not addressed by available tests.
• Compatible with conventional diagnostic platforms.
• Greater than 85% sensitivity and specificity
•  Useful across breast cancer subtypes

APPLICATIONS

• Precision medicine (Chemotherapy and radiotherapy)
• Clinical trial enrollment

PUBLICATIONS

• An interferon-related gene signature for DNA damage resistance is a predictive marker for chemotherapy and radiation for breast cancer. Weichselbaum, RR; et al. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA. 2008 Nov 25; 105(47):18490-5.
• Expression signature of IFN/STAT1 signaling genes predicts poor survival outcome in glioblastoma multiforme in a subtype-specific manner. Duarte, CW; et al. PLOS One. 2012; 7(1): e29653.

July 23, 2019

Clinical validation (retrospective samples)

Patent Issued

Licensing

Edwardine Labay

• US: 7,892,740