Burning Rock-CStone collaborate to co-develop CDx for pralsetinib

Burning Rock Biotech Ltd. has recently announced a strategic collaboration with CStone Pharmaceuticals. The collaboration has been reached to jointly develop and commercialize the CDx (companion diagnostics) for pralsetinib. It is an investigational treatment developed by Blueprint Medicines, CStone’s partner, in China for RET alteration detection among cancer patients.

According to Burning Rock’s Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Hao Liu, CDx is highly significant in the era of rapid precision medicine development to identify patients who can benefit from the specific therapies. The company will further develop products related to CDx based on the advanced NGS (next generation sequencing) technology. It is also planning to work with partners to promote the clinical application of precision treatments and diagnostics. Dr. Liu further commented that CStone is an ideal partner, owing to its focus on innovative immune oncology & precision medicine programs. Its partner, Blueprint Medicines, has released the global data for pralsetinib at ASCO 2020 in June.

CStone’s Chief Translational Medicine Officer, Archie Tse, MD, PhD, the company regards precision medicine as its core strategy. Dr. Tse expressed his belief that CStone & Burning Rock will leverage their advantages in the CDx development and accelerate the commercialization and development for pralsetinib.

Clinical data from the global ARROW pralsetinib trial in RET fusion-positive NSCLC (non-small cell lung cancer) was revealed at the ASCO (American Society of Clinical Oncology) Virtual Scientific Forum on 30th May 2020. The data included the response-evaluable patients who received a dose of 400mg per day. The overall response rate was reportedly 73% (95% CI: 52-88%) among 26 patients who did not obtain prior systemic therapy, as well as 61% (95% CI: 50-72%) among 80 patients who have received the platinum-based chemotherapy.

Pralsetinib was well-tolerated among 354 patients who were administered a dose of 400mg per day. Other treatment-related adverse effects were Grade 1 or 2. This high potential of pralsetinib in the RET fusion-positive NSCLC was supported by the global ARROW trial.

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https://www.globenewswire.com/news-release/2020/06/29/2054417/0/en/Burning-Rock-and-CStone-Pharmaceuticals-reached-a-strategic-collaboration-on-the-co-development-of-companion-diagnostics-for-pralsetinib-in-China.html