The significant milestone marks the first result of the company's strategic partnership² with VIB, Flanders' leading life sciences institute, and potentially signifies an important step forward in the field of cancer immunotherapy for patients with advanced malignant melanoma (aMM) and triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC).

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.   

POINTILLISM 2.0 is a collaborative effort that reflects its interdisciplinary nature by bringing together research and tech transfer groups from VIB, KU Leuven and Skyline Dx, as well as oncologists, surgeons, pathologists from the University Hospital (UZ) Leuven, to work in synergy. The project benefits from the expertise of VIB-KU Leuven's Center for Cancer Biology (CCB), which is renowned for its work in studying the tumor microenvironment and the molecular and cellular mechanisms of cancer cells as well as the valorization expertise of the VIB Innovation & Business team. Unique aspects of this project include the collection of retrospectively and prospectively collected blood and tumor samples from cancer patients, the assessment of multiple markers of response, and the exploration of baseline and on-treatment predictive biomarkers in both tumor and liquid biopsies. Additionally, POINTILLISM 2.0 is designed to create lasting societal impact. ICB is effective for treatment of various cancers, but unfortunately only a subset of patients responds to these therapies. An important unmet clinical need is to identify biomarkers that predict which patients are likely to respond or develop resistance, sparing non-responders severe adverse events and mitigating unsustainable healthcare costs associated with these agents.  

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."