Dr. Eric Leire, CEO of Genflow Biosciences Plc (LSE: GENF, OTCQB: GENFF), has spoke actively about his new strategic partnership with US-based Heureka Labs, a spin-off of Duke University, to enhance gene therapy research using AI technology.
Leire said, “All biotechnology in gene therapy requires AI components. Without it, we will miss out on a key tool to unlock shareholder value.” He highlighted the need for a multi-omics approach of genomic, transcriptome, and proteome to better understand gene expression and drug responses that traditional analytical methods struggle to capture perfectly.
The partnership with Heureka Labs, which integrates deep AI and biological expertise, will first support GF-1002, a lead candidate for Genflow, a SIRT-6 gene therapy targeting MASH (metabolic dysfunction-associated uteritis). AI helps to analyze complex preclinical data, including insights from nearly 700 mice tested, understand the mechanisms of action and identify key responders to discussions with regulatory authorities such as the FDA and EMA.
Leire also highlighted that Collaboration is scalable across Genflow’s pipeline, helping to unlock synergistic effects between liver, muscle, and ocular disease programs.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ul4cfatlsno
Aggressive: Eric, it’s very good to talk to you. We have announced a strategic partnership with Heureka Labs in the US to use the AI platform. Can you please tell us more about Heureka Labs and what this collaboration involves?
Aggressive: Heureka Labs is a spin-off of Duke University. Through Dr. Matthew Hershey, he has a long relationship with Duke University. What’s very interesting about Heureka Labs is that it really focuses on biology as well as AI. I really understand biology. Having AI is now a collaboration between AI and biology. It is not an advantage for biotechnology, it is necessary. That’s why I’m very pleased with this relationship with Heureka Labs. This is an AI and biology player.
Proactive: So, how can we use AI technology to enhance our own research?
Dr. Eric Leire: AI can now play a key role in analyzing increasingly complex and large-scale genomic data. If I went back to biology, I sequenced the genomes, not so long ago. I understood genes and DNA. We thought we had all the solutions. I understood all biology. And we realized it was more complicated. I had to understand the entire sequence. This is because DNA, a gene in itself, does nothing. You need to continue coding for proteins. Therefore, you must look at the DNA, then look at the mRNA, then look at the protein. That’s what we call the multiomics approach: genomes, transcriptomes, proteomes. And the amount of data is huge.
In addition to its complexity, it has been found that it is impossible to grasp gene functions alone. Gene expression is regulated within or rather within all genes. This is a very complex landscape of gene expression and regulation.
Genflow generates a lot of data through preclinical programs. Almost 700 mice – RNA sequences were performed, genomes were performed, and proteomes were performed. Without AI, you understand that 10% of messages is 10%, and 90% of patterns are unidentified. AI helps us do that. It helps us identify mechanisms of behavior. This is extremely important in relation to regulatory authorities. This allows you to fine-tune your approach in terms of interaction with other genes. It also helps identify patients who are most likely to respond.
When you receive the medication, you know it can work with an average effectiveness of 30%. That doesn’t mean anything. As an individual, that’s just the average of a large population. In reality, there are people who don’t respond to drugs and others who do. Currently, most regulators want to see some biological tests (biomarkers) to help identify the most likely responders, so if they can’t respond, they will avoid taking gene therapy. AI can play a major role in this. So it is extremely important and could unleash the vital value of GenFlow.
Proactive: Eric initially supports lead candidates. It’s GF-1002. It is a SIRT-6 gene therapy targeting mash (metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis). Take a look at the first step.
Dr. Eric Leia: Yes. Mash is important as it is being discussed with regulators. This detailed analysis of mash’s preclinical results is extremely useful for regulators (discussions between the FDA and European agencies).
But even more importantly, it is a necessary tool. And that’s why we have this Master Services Agreement. This is a partnership with Heureka. And the size of Genflow and Heureka allow for this kind of partnership. The mechanism of action discovered through AI can be used in the eyes via liver programs, which can be used for synergistic effects between all programs and programs, and can be used on muscles.
So, for example, Sam Altman, from Openai, has invested heavily in biotech companies like Retro Biosciences. Retro Biosciences is a biotech company of Sam Altman. But that’s not all. All biotechnology in gene therapy requires AI ingredients. If that’s not the case, you miss out on the key tools to unlock shareholder value.
Aggressive: Eric, I hope we continue to post about progress on that program. Thank you for talking to us today.
