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BostonGene, Kyoto University Announce Strategic Research Partnership

The pact supports a clinical trial evaluating a combined therapeutic approach to advanced gastrointestinal cancers.

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By: Patrick Lavery

Content Marketing Editor

Editor’s Take: Collaborations between pharma companies and academic institutions can support future clinical trial decisions and broader development efforts.

BostonGene announced a strategic partnership with Kyoto University, supporting a multicenter Phase II trial led by Kyoto’s Dr. Manabu Muto.

The clinical trial evaluates safety and efficacy of a combined therapeutic approach for patients with advanced gastrointestinal cancers. Pillars of the approach include immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) and photodynamic therapy (PDT).

BostonGene and Kyoto University previously said in November 2025 that they would be partnering.

Kyoto University’s Role

As a research institution, Kyoto is known for groundbreaking innovations in medicine and science. BostonGene, meanwhile, has developed what is the leading AI model for tumor and immune biology.

Together, their research collaboration expects to support future clinical trial decisions, biomarker-driven patient selection strategies, and broader development efforts.

In particular, BostonGene and Kyoto University hope to generate insights relative to combination immunotherapy approaches. Regarding the clinical trial, BostonGene’s multimodal AI analytics platform will integrate the study’s genomic, transcriptomic, immune, and clinical data.

This, ideally, results in identification of molecular signatures and immune-response patterns associated with therapeutic response and resistance.

“By combining PDT with ICIs, our goal is to enhance anti-tumor responses where current treatment options remain limited,” Moto said. “[These] profiling capabilities allow us to better characterize the tumor microenvironment and identify biological features associated with durable clinical benefit. Ultimately, this work will help us support more precise and personalized therapeutic strategies for patients with advanced cancers.”

BostonGene President Weighs In

Yukimasa Shiotsu, PhD, President of BostonGene Japan, offered further thoughts on the partnership.

“Integrating advanced AI-driven multiomics analysis into clinical development is essential for accelerating and de-risking next-generation oncology therapeutics,” Shiotsu said. “This partnership allows us to better understand the biological mechanisms underlying response to ICI and PDT combination therapy.”

Dr. Moto’s study, an investigator-initiated trial, has financial support from Meiji Seika Pharma.

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