Evogene Ltd. recently announced a collaboration with the pioneering research group of Dr. Mark Adams, a leading cancer genomics expert in the School of Biomedical Sciences and Faculty of Health at the Queensland University of Technology (QUT), Australia. This partnership aims to accelerate the discovery and optimization of novel small molecules as potential drug candidates for the treatment of chemotherapy and targeted therapy-resistant non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), as well as other cancers.

Despite significant advancements in cancer treatment, resistance to standard-of-care chemotherapies and targeted therapies remain a major hurdle in treating patients with aggressive cancers, such as NSCLC. The effectiveness of cornerstone therapies such as Cisplatin is limited by high intrinsic resistance, seen in 60%-70% of treated patients, while 30%-40% of patients receiving targeted therapies also fail to respond upfront. In immunotherapy, whether as monotherapy or combined with chemotherapy, similar rates of both intrinsic and acquired resistance are observed. These patterns highlight an urgent need for more effective therapies that can overcome both intrinsic and acquired treatment resistance.

Based on breakthrough findings from Dr. Adams’ lab uncovering a novel druggable cellular detoxification pathway driving Cisplatin resistance in NSCLC, this collaboration aims to design novel small-molecule inhibitors that effectively block this critical mechanism and restore treatment sensitivity.

The collaboration combines Evogene’s ChemPass AI’s state-of-the-art computational capabilities for generative molecular design with Dr. Adams’ leading expertise in cancer cell biology. By targeting this previously unrecognized enzymatic pathway of chemotherapy resistance, the collaboration seeks to introduce a new therapeutic strategy for overcoming chemotherapy resistance in lung cancer. The collaboration will focus on:

• Pinpointing critical mechanisms within Cisplatin-induced detoxification processes that can be therapeutically disrupted.
• Applying ChemPass AI™ to generate high-quality chemical leads, prioritizing molecules with strong inhibitory potential and favorable drug-like properties.
• Iteratively refining compound designusing integrated biological insights from Dr. Adams’ lab into ChemPass AI™’s generative model for multi-parameter optimization of drug candidates.

Dr. Mark Adams from Queensland University of Technology 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.”

Dr. Gabi Tarcic, Evogene’s Chief Development Officer, 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.”

Evogene Ltd. (Nasdaq/TASE: EVGN) is a pioneering company in computational chemistry, specializing in the generative design of small molecules for the pharmaceutical and agricultural industries. At the core of its technology is ChemPass AI™, a proprietary generative AI engine that enables the design of novel, highly potent small molecules optimized across multiple critical parameters. This powerful platform significantly improves success rates while reducing development time and costs. Built on this powerful technological foundation, and through strategic partnerships alongside internal product development, Evogene is focused on creating breakthrough products driven by the integration of scientific innovation with real-world industry needs. Learn more at: www.evogene.com. Learn more about QUT’s cancer research initiatives at: www.qut.edu.au/research.