Axcelead DDP and Knowledge Palette Enter into a Collaborative Research Contract on Gene Expression Analysis Concerning Drug-Resistant Cancer

2022.11.02

Axcelead Drug Discovery Partners Inc. (headquarters: Fujisawa, Kanagawa; CEO: Yoshinori Ikeura) and Knowledge Palette, Inc. (headquarters: Kawasaki, Kanagawa; Co-Founders and Representative Directors: Hiroki Danno and Masakazu Fukuda) have entered into a collaborative research contract on gene expression analysis for drug-resistant cancer.

In this collaborative research project, the companies will collaborate to discover specific cell populations and gene clusters involved in the drug resistance in lung cancer, and to identify related biomarkers. Knowledge Palette will comprehensively profile gene expression in frozen clinical specimens obtained from biobanks using the company’s core single-cell gene expression analysis technology (Quartz-Seq2). Based on the results of these analyses, Axcelead DDP will identify and validate the candidates of new drug targets and biomarkers for the drug-resistant cancer utilizing its wealth of knowledge and expertise in drug discovery. This research collaboration is expected to unveil new target proteins and biomarkers that have eluded conventional analytical techniques and will contribute to elucidate the mechanisms of drug-resistance in cancers, discover new drug targets, and find biomarkers that will enhance the success rate of clinical studies.

Yoshinori Ikeura, President and CEO of Axcelead DDP, said, “If we can identify new target proteins and biomarkers in drug-resistant cancer through this research collaboration with Knowledge Palette and their outstanding genetic analysis technology, we will be able to support research and development initiatives to develop new drugs and improve the success rate of clinical studies. Axcelead DDP is committed to being the most trusted companion to all who endeavor to bring highly innovative medicine to the world.”

Hiroki Danno, Representative Director and CEO of Knowledge Palette, said, “The wide variety of cells present in samples collected from living tissues makes it difficult to collect sufficiently accurate drug discovery data with conventional analytical technologies. In this research collaboration, we will utilize our single-cell analysis technology, which produces highly accurate data regardless of cell type, and Axcelead DDP’s wide range of drug discovery expertise to create new drug discovery approaches for diseases yet to be overcome.”

About Axcelead Drug Discovery Partners, Inc.:
Launched in July 2017, Axcelead is Japan’s first integrated drug discovery solutions provider, having taken over the drug discovery capabilities of Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Limited. The company provides integrated services, from the discovery of drug targets to the optimization of small- and medium-molecule drug candidates, in which the company has particular expertise. Axcelead also helps bridge the gap to clinical development.

About Knowledge Palette, Inc.:
Knowledge Palette is a Japanese biotechnology company engaged in phenotypic drug discovery, biomarker identification, and the improvement of regenerative medicine manufacturing using a single-cell transcriptome analysis technology (Quartz-Seq2) that was ranked No. 1 for both accuracy scores and overall scores in an international benchmark project in 2020. Knowledge Palette collaborates with pharmaceutical companies and research institutes to accelerate drug discovery and optimize cell culturing for regenerative medicine.

E-mail: info@knowledge-palette.com
URL: https://www.knowledge-palette.com/en/