14 June 2024
Physiomics plc
("Physiomics" or the "Company")
Physiomics Adds Modeling and Data Science
Functionality to DoseMe's Precision Dosing Platform
Physiomics plc (AIM: PYC), a leading
mathematical modelling and data science company supporting the
development of new therapeutics and personalised medicine
solutions, is pleased to announce that it has re-engaged with
DoseMe and agreed to implement
the Company's personalised dosing software on the DoseMeRx platform
as well as explore research collaborations. The Physiomics
software will be made available to selected DoseMe clients,
initially on a research basis, but with the objective of adding
paid functionality later, in particular relating to the potential
for the software to be able to provide decision support around the
use of granulocyte colony stimulating factor ("GCSF").
Background
The Company's personalised dosing software has
been developed primarily with grant funding from UK bodies
including £68,000 from Innovate UK (March 2018), £150,000 from the
National Institute for Health and Care Research to fund the PARTNER
study (March 2020) and most recently £137,376 from Innovate UK and
The Office for Life Sciences to fund the PREDICT-ONC study
(November 2023).
The software was initially focused on cancer
chemotherapies (such as docetaxel) that can cause reduced white
cell counts (neutropenia) and potentially lead to infection and
hospitalisation. Based on a series of blood tests in the
early weeks of a patient's chemotherapy treatment, the software is
calibrated for each individual to provide an estimate of the extent
and timing of neutropenia. It also allows clinicians to amend
the dose of chemotherapy and see the predicted effect on neutrophil
levels.
Collaboration with DoseMe
The Company first entered into a
collaboration with DoseMe at the end of 2020 and the two companies
worked together during 2021 to implement a demonstration version of
the Physiomics software to facilitate review with US based
pharmacists and clinicians. Feedback from this exercise
suggested that the need for additional blood tests to calibrate the
software could be a disincentive to its use and that, in addition,
some focus on more modern, costly drugs would be of interest.
During 2022 DoseMe's then parent company announced its planned
divestment and DoseMe was acquired by a private equity group in
early 2023. During that year, in parallel with applying for
and winning a further Innovate UK grant, the Company re-engaged
with DoseMe's new management, culminating in today's announcement
of the plan to launch the Company's dosing software on the recently
upgraded and expanded DoseMeRx platform and to make it available,
initially on a research basis, to selected US clients. It is
expected that the software will be made available in the second
half of 2024. The two companies have also agreed to identify
one or more centres in the US, currently served by DoseMe, that
have historical patient data that could be used to further develop
Physiomics' dosing software and specifically to enhance its ability
to support decision making around the use of the expensive
biological drug GCSF which is commonly used by clinicians to
counteract the neutropenic tendency of chemotherapeutic
agents.
Moving Forwards
The focus of the Company's
personalised dosing initiatives going forwards will be to expand
the capability of the software to support dosing decision making
around not only chemotherapeutic agents but GCSF. Both the
ongoing PREDICT-ONC study and potential secondary research with
DoseMe clients in the US will support this objective. In
parallel, the Company is seeking ways to make the blood sampling
required by its software more convenient for patients. This
can potentially be achieved by using the software in other settings
where frequent blood sampling already occurs, but also through
exploration of the use of new diagnostic devices that can obtain
and analyse blood samples in community or home settings (such at
that being developed by our partner company Beyond Blood
Diagnostics).
As the Company continues to develop
its personalised dosing software, it will actively consider the
most appropriate way to ring fence resources for this part of its
business. Options under consideration include creation of a
dedicated business unit, creation of a wholly owned subsidiary or a
joint venture with a party with complementary technology/
capabilities. As further progress is made towards one of
these, further updates will be provided accordingly.
Dr Peter
Sargent, CEO, commented: "I'm really pleased that we've able to
progress this initiative and the team are excited to build upon the
partnership with DoseMe to further develop our Personalised
Oncology Dosing Software".
Paul Edwards,
CEO, DoseMe, commented: "Oncology is one area that will benefit
tremendously from precision dosing. The results from the initial
research point to constructive data output that will enhance dosing
decision and ultimately, make life changing differences for
patients."
Enquiries:
Physiomics
plc
Dr Peter Sargent, CEO
+44 (0)1235 841575
Hybridan LLP
(Broker)
Claire Louise Noyce
+44 (0) 203 764 2341
Strand Hanson
Ltd (NOMAD)
James Dance & James Bellman
+44 (0)20 7409 3494
DoseMe
Alison Guzzio
+1 484 459 3243
Notes to
Editor
About Physiomics
Physiomics plc combines cutting edge
PKPD and QSP modelling and data science techniques, along with deep
biology expertise, to help biotech and pharma companies streamline
their drug development journeys.
Our approach is to derive insight
from all relevant data in order to de-risk decision making and
optimise design research across discovery, pre-clinical and
clinical studies.
Through use of bespoke models and
our proprietary Virtual Tumour technology, the Physiomics team has
informed the development of over 100 commercial projects, over 50
targets and 75 drugs. Clients include Merck KGaA, Astellas, Bicycle
Therapeutics, Numab Therapeutics & CRUK.
About DoseMe
DoseMe combines smart technology
with science, leveraging clinically-validated PK/PD models, patient
characteristics, drug concentrations, and genotype to accurately
individualize a dose in seconds. The platform is HIPAA, ISO &
FDA compliant and the only Bayesian dosing platform to be HITRUST
CSF certified. For more information on successful applications of
its products, DoseMeRx and DoseMe Analytics, visit
https://doseme-rx.com/success-stories