Genialis is the RNA biomarker company

We model fundamental biology using human data and machine learning to ensure successful development of new drugs, and inform targeted treatment decisions for better outcomes.

We are building the next generation of cancer biomarkers based on gene expression data. They incorporate dozens to hundreds of genes into machine learning classifiers capable of capturing therapeutically meaningful relationships between genes and pathways.

Genialis biomarkers

  • Improve success and reduce time to market for investigational drugs

  • Identify additional patient subgroups and indications to expand labels of on-market drugs

  • Power the most informative and precise diagnostics tests to classify patients for treatment

We are Biologists

We are also Technologists. We use biology to limit the number of molecular features in the data, and use artificial intelligence to model the hallmark biologies of cancer. 

We build complex RNA biomarkers

We train our models on high-dimensional and/or multimodal data that better capture the underlying biological complexity. In particular, we champion the use of RNA sequencing data for the development of our biomarkers.

Our biomarkers work in the clinic

Since we model underlying biology rather than drug response directly, a single model can support drugs in clinical development across various mechanisms of action, disease states, and tumor types. We have proved our models scale across clinical contexts and work in real patients.

Genialis algorithms clearly discern responders from non-responders on a biomarker probability plot based on RNA biomarkers.
Genialis algorithms clearly discern responders from non-responders on a biomarker probability plot based on RNA biomarkers.

RNA Biomarkers:
The Future is Now

Why RNA?

Genialis focuses on RNA because gene expression-based biomarkers give us the best of both worlds: insight into disease drivers at the genome level and dynamic states defined by the transcriptome. The additional information on pathways and processes, especially compared with DNA or protein biomarkers, are especially relevant to predicting treatment outcomes of complex diseases.

Genialis prefers RNA biomarkers for several reasons

  • RNA is closer to the phenotype than DNA. Assessment of RNA reveals changes in gene expression associated with disease progression, mutation, drug response, chemical perturbation, etc

  • RNA can be used to infer mutation status of coding genes in the same manner that DNA can.

  • Data from total RNA sequencing contains high-dimensional information which can be leveraged to understand the biology of a given cancer with far more nuance than DNA alone.

  • The standardization of RNA sequencing, the ability to multiplex many different tests from the same analyte combined with the ever-decreasing costs of sequencing makes transcriptomic biomarkers cost-effective for complex disease diagnosis, and clinical R&D.

How biomarkers predict response to targeted treatment

DNA biomarker

RNA biomarker

Biology Driver gene disruption,
mutational burden
Pathway disruption, dysregulation, activation, suppression, etc
PLUS:
Driver gene disruption, mutational burden
Feature One or just a few DNA variants Quantitative signatures comprising the expression and variants of dozens of genes
Algorithm Binary mutation status Machine learning classifier
Capability Necessary but insufficient:
Describes the status of a drug target or disease driver, but does not describe the biological state (or phenotype) of the disease.
Predictive and explanatory:
Captures complex interactions to define the biological state and treatment susceptibility of the disease.
DNA biomarkers are necessary but insufficient. They describe the status of a drug target or disease driver, but do not describe the biological state (or phenotype) of the disease. RNA biomarkers are predictive and explanatory. They capture complex interactions to define the biological state and treatment susceptibility of the disease.

Guiding principle

RNA: the Future of Predictive Biomarkers

Methodology

AI-driven biomarker development at scale

First-in-class patient classifier

Predicting patient response to KRASi