Evogene has announced a new collaboration with the Queensland University of Technology (QUT) in Australia. The partnership aims to leverage artificial intelligence to discover and optimize novel small molecules designed to overcome chemotherapy resistance in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).
Targeting a Newly Uncovered Resistance Mechanism
The collaboration centers on breakthrough findings from the lab of Dr. Mark Adams, a leading cancer genomics expert at QUT’s School of Biomedical Sciences. His research has uncovered a novel druggable cellular detoxification pathway that drives resistance to Cisplatin, a cornerstone chemotherapy for NSCLC. Statistics indicate that intrinsic resistance limits the effectiveness of Cisplatin in 60-70% of treated patients, while a significant portion of patients also fail to respond to targeted therapies and immunotherapies.
The joint program will combine Dr. Adams’ expertise in cancer cell biology with Evogene’s proprietary ChemPass AI platform. This generative AI engine will be used to design high-quality chemical leads that inhibit the newly identified resistance pathway, with the goal of restoring treatment sensitivity in aggressive cancers.
“Partnering with Evogene is an exciting opportunity not only from a cell and molecular biology perspective, but also for its translational potential,” stated Dr. Mark Adams. “Leveraging Evogene’s AI-driven technology allows us to accelerate a path from research to real-world outcomes”.
Dr. Gabi Tarcic, Evogene’s Chief Development Officer, added that by combining deep biological insight with advanced AI, the company hopes to offer a new lifeline to patients facing limited treatment options, marking an important step in applying generative AI to tackle chemotherapy resistance.
A Surge in Strategic Partnerships
The agreement with QUT is the latest in a rapid series of deals for Evogene in early 2026, highlighting the versatility of its ChemPass AI platform across various therapeutic areas.
Addressing Inflammatory Diseases with Systasy and LMU:
Most recently, on February 11, Evogene joined forces with Systasy Bioscience and LMU University Hospital Munich, supported by a pan-European EUREKA grant. The project targets hyper-inflammatory diseases driven by dysregulated neutrophil activity, such as inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), by designing selective inhibitors to modulate excessive inflammation .
Expanded AI Infrastructure with Google Cloud:
On February 10, Evogene announced an expanded collaboration with Google Cloud to integrate advanced AI agents into the ChemPass AI platform. Utilizing Google Cloud’s Vertex AI, this partnership aims to automate scientific workflows and enable large-scale parallel molecular exploration. Ofer Haviv, CEO of Evogene, noted that this marks a shift “from AI models to autonomous discovery,” enhancing speed and cost structure while making parts of its innovation tools accessible via the Google Cloud Marketplace .
Microbiome Therapy Licensing to Shanghai Lishan:
Just days prior, on February 4, Evogene’s subsidiary, Biomica, entered into an exclusive worldwide licensing agreement with Shanghai Lishan Biopharmaceuticals for BMC128. This first-in-class microbiome-based therapeutic, currently completing Phase 1 trials, is designed to enhance anti-tumor immune activity. Lishan Biotech will take over global clinical development and commercialization for indications including renal cell carcinoma and NSCLC, with Biomica receiving milestone payments and royalties .
Targeting Neurological Damage with Unravel Biosciences:
On January 7, 2026, Evogene launched a collaboration with Unravel Biosciences to develop a first-in-class therapy for demyelinating disorders like Multiple Sclerosis (MS). The partnership combines Evogene’s ChemPass AI with Unravel’s BioNAV platform to design brain-penetrant inhibitors aimed at restoring myelin and reversing neurological damage—an area with no currently approved therapies.
AI in Cancer Treatment
The application of artificial intelligence (AI) in oncology continues to accelerate, with recent weeks bringing a wave of regulatory clearances, clinical trial integrations, and innovative research partnerships aimed at improving cancer detection and treatment.
Recently, RevealDX secured clearance from the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for RevealAI-Lung, a Computer-Assisted Diagnostic software that assigns a Malignancy Similarity Index (mSI) to lung nodules to aid radiologists in follow-up recommendations.
AI is increasingly being integrated directly into clinical trial design and treatment protocols. Boehringer Ingelheim has selected Brainomix’s e-Lung AI imaging software to provide quantitative imaging biomarkers as a co-primary endpoint in its Phase III DROP-FPF study for pulmonary fibrosis, marking the first Phase III trial to use automated, quantitative HRCT imaging biomarkers.
Supporting this ecosystem, London-based Seamflow raised $4.5 million in seed funding to deploy AI tools aimed at reducing certification bottlenecks for medical devices, addressing the regulatory complexity that can delay product approvals.
