Evogene, a leader in AI-driven molecular design, announced a high-impact collaboration with Dr Mark Adams’ research group at the Queensland University of Technology (QUT), Australia, to develop novel therapies for chemotherapy-resistant non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).

 

The partnership targets a critical hurdle in cancer treatment: resistance to standard therapies. Up to 70% of patients treated with Cisplatin and 40% of those receiving targeted therapies fail to respond, highlighting an urgent need for new approaches.

 

Dr Adams’ lab recently uncovered a novel cellular detoxification pathway driving Cisplatin resistance in NSCLC. The collaboration aims to design small-molecule inhibitors that block this mechanism and restore treatment effectiveness.

 

The initiative combines Evogene’s ChemPass AI platform, which generates optimized small-molecule candidates, with Dr. Adams’ expertise in cancer genomics. 

 

The teams will focus on: Pinpointing Cisplatin-induced detoxification mechanisms that can be disrupted therapeutically; Using ChemPass AI to generate high-quality chemical leads with strong inhibitory potential; Iteratively refining compounds with biological insights from QUT to optimize drug candidates.

 

Dr Mark Adams said: "Partnering with Evogene is an exciting opportunity not only from a cell and molecular biology perspective, but also for its translational potential. Leveraging Evogene's AI-driven technology allows us to accelerate a path from research to real world outcomes. By working together, I look forward to seeing our collective innovation one day make a meaningful difference for people living with cancer."

 

Evogene’s Chief Development Officer, Dr Gabi Tarcic, added: "By combining Dr Adams' deep biological insight into resistance pathways with our advanced AI-driven drug design capabilities, we hope to offer a new lifeline to patients who currently face limited treatment options. 

 

"Partnering with Dr Adams' research team at QUT marks an important step in extending our generative AI technology into oncology, particularly in tackling one of the most persistent challenges in cancer - chemotherapy resistance."