SkylineDx and VIB Joins for Research Programme on Immune Prediction

SkylineDx has announced that Pointillism 2.0, a collaborative precision medicine project, has been selected for financing as part of the renowned VIB Grand Challenges Programme. This program intends to promote the advancement of socially relevant science. The significant achievement is the first result of the company's strategic collaboration with VIB, Flanders' leading life sciences institute, and could represent an important step forward in the field of cancer immunotherapy for patients with advanced malignant melanoma (aMM) and triple-negative breast cancer.

Pointillism 2.0, officially titled “Validation of Multi-Parametric Predictive Biomarkers for Cancer Immunotherapy,” is set to commence in December 2023 and will extend over a period of three years. This project is designed to independently validate several promising markers discovered in Pointillism 1.0. Pointillism 1.0 used innovative single-cell technologies to identify mechanisms of response to immune checkpoint blockade (ICB) in first-line treatment of aMM and neoadjuvant treatment of TNBNC, as per pharmabiz. 

Pointillism 2.0 is a collaborative initiative that represents its interdisciplinary nature by bringing together research and technology transfer groups from VIB, KU Leuven, and Skyline Dx, as well as oncologists, surgeons, and pathologists from the University Hospital (UZ) Leuven. The project leverages the expertise of VIB-KU Leuven's Center for Cancer Biology (CCB), which is well-known for its work in understanding the tumor microenvironment as well as the molecular and cellular mechanisms of cancer cells, as well as the value-added experience of the VIB Innovation & Business team. 

Dharminder Chahal, SkylineDx CEO, said: “Pointillism 2.0 represents a crucial step toward personalizing cancer treatment and improving patient outcomes. We are proud to partner with VIB and esteemed researchers to bring this pioneering project to fruition. This exciting collaboration demonstrates the power of partnerships between industry and academia in driving innovation and advancing healthcare solutions.”