Genomics and the promise to transform cancer treatment on both ends of the leash: National DNA Day

I am thrilled to join you all in commemorating National DNA Day and the role that genomics, the foundation of precision medicine, play in the future of cancer treatment. 

At FidoCure, we’re focused on transforming cancer, which is often considered a disease of the genes, in both dogs and humans. It’s not well known that dogs and humans are extremely close genetically (95% genetically identical, in fact). That’s right, we share more than our homes with our canine companions – we share most of the same genes. 

With that shared genetic makeup, many of the same diseases, including cancers, are also almost identical. And it’s the genetic similarities between human and dog cancers that we can use to find new cancer treatments that can save lives on both ends of the leash. 

Our flagship product, FidoCure, is the first and only end-to-end platform leveraging cutting-edge genetic sequencing technology to offer 12 targeted cancer therapies to dogs.

Here’s how it works: 

• A tissue sample is submitted to FidoCure for DNA sequencing.

• FidoCure creates a personalized DNA report that helps identify genetic mutations that may affect treatment.

• Informed by FidoCure, vets prescribe targeted therapies (administered orally at home).

Simply put: The right drug, for the right dog, at the right time.

Human oncology has known for years there’s no "one-size-fits-all" treatment for cancer. We’ve brought that same approach to canine oncology because precision medicine offers a more hopeful prognosis for our pets. Our process uses genomic testing in conjunction with tumor type to identify possible cancer-causing mutations. From there, we suggest targeted therapy to precisely attack the cancer cells.

Recently, we conducted the largest-ever genomic study of canine cancer (2,119 dogs with cancer from over 200 veterinary clinics) alongside Stanford AI Health and published our results in Nature (precision oncology). Among many exciting AI-driven findings, were the following:

• Precision medicine can be a game changer for dogs with cancer:
  Some cases saw as much as a 3x overall survival improvement between the top targeted therapy applied to a specific gene mutation and the alternative. 
• Shared genetic traits in dogs and humans lead to similar drug responses:
  Dogs and humans with matching genetic mutations respond similarly to existing cancer treatments targeted at those mutations.
• What we learn from dogs can help inform exciting new treatment approaches in humans:
  Two previously unknown mutation-treatment combinations led to a statistically significant improvement in canine cancer outcomes, which could lead to improved treatments for human cancer patients.
• AI is a powerful tool to mine data for insights – especially when the dataset includes outcomes:
  This was the first time that AI has been used on a canine clinico-genomic dataset showing the power of both AI and the importance of collecting outcome data as we do!

As we celebrate the 20th anniversary of National DNA Day, we are proud to be part of a global community that is bringing hope to cancer patients, both canine and human. 

We are excited about the possibilities ahead and are committed to fighting cancer at both ends of the leash. Learn more at www.fidocure.com.