The job of OncoDxRx’s PGA (Patient-derived Gene expression-informed Anticancer drug efficacy) technology is to specifically detect gene activity signals from all kinds of tumor and non-tumor microenvironment - including genes, pathways, networks, communication, interaction, and vulnerability. The technology works out where the signals originate and the association of vulnerability, then pass on gene expression coordinates to digital computation that will identify the most effective drugs to destroy the tumor.

The cell-free mRNA (cfmRNA) information also helps the OncoDxRx team build up a molecular atlas of the tumor.

"This is a war of technologies against cancer," the company said. “If we see a number of genes activated in the same manner, we understand it's a network. If we see some genes continue turn-on, we realize they could be driver genes or potential vulnerability."

This is an invisible conflict carrying on in parallel with liquid biopsy, biomarkers and next-gen sequencing that dominate the industry of precision oncology.

Tumor cells use gene activity or function to respond, adapt and survive under therapeutic pressure. This makes them vulnerable to functional genomics warfare, which aims to intercept and suppress those gene clusters or pathways.

Tumor cells are trying to hijack healthy cells and immune cells, to penetrate and shut-off our immune systems. They may be partially successful at this, but not completely. The pharma industry has been trying to develop counter-measures against tumor cells’ jamming of immune response, including TCR therapeutics and programmable mRNA medicine.

OncoDxRx describes it as an intense competition of "move and counter-move".

OncoDxRx does not deny that tumor cells can evolve to reduce the efficiency and accuracy of precision medicine. This just makes targeting tumor’s hijacking and jamming systems even more important, the company said.

"Before we strike with a precision-guided munition, we have to provide intelligence. If immune cells are affected by a jamming signal, we have to locate the jammer and destroy it, before using this precision weapon."

In the war against cancer, every bit of tumor information can be important.