LAUSANNE, SWITZERLAND -- Debiopharm (www.debiopharm.com), a Swiss-based, global biopharmaceutical company, aiming to establish tomorrow’s standard-of-care to cure cancer and infectious diseases, announced the recognition of the two recipients of the 2024 JCA-Mauvernay Award, marking the 20th edition of this prestigious award. Breakthrough oncology research in Japanese was recognized across two categories, honoring two scientists: Translational Research - Dr. Kenichi Yoshida, and Innovative and/or Disruptive Research - Dr. Hiroshi Suzuki. The award was presented during the 83rd Annual Meeting of the Japanese Cancer Association (JCA) on September 21st at the Fukuoka Convention Center. The winners were honored by Dr. Takashi Kohno, Vice President of JCA.

“At Debiopharm, we remain deeply committed to fostering groundbreaking oncology research that can make a difference in the lives of patients. Our collaboration with Japanese researchers exemplifies how innovation and dedication can drive the development of new therapies. By empowering generations of scientists in Japan, we aim to translate laboratory discoveries into impactful treatments, advancing the field of translational medicine for the benefit of cancer patients worldwide. This reflects our belief that true innovation knows no borders, and by uniting our strengths between Switzerland and Japan, we can bring hope and a cure to those who need it most,” stated Thierry Mauvernay, President of Debiopharm.

Dr. Kenichi Yoshida was honored in the Translational Research category for his work at the National Cancer Center Research Institute. Dr. Yoshida’s research has significantly advanced the understanding of somatic mutations in myeloid malignancies, such as Myelodysplastic Syndromes (MDS), including the identification of additional driver genes like RNA-splicing factors, which are now part of the WHO classification for hematological malignancies. His research has also delved into the genetic drivers of Down Syndrome-related myeloid malignancies and explored the role of somatic mutations in normal tissues, revealing early carcinogenic events caused by tobacco smoking. Dr. Yoshida’s ongoing research focuses on driver mutations and therapeutic targets in both cancer and normal tissues using advanced technologies.

Dr. Hiroshi Suzuki was awarded in the Disruptive Research category for his integrative research on super-enhancers, which control cell identity and are linked to cancer pathogenesis. Through a combination of next-generation sequencing (NGS), bioinformatics, and genome/RNA engineering, Dr. Suzuki has deepened the understanding of gene dysregulation in cancer, particularly in the role of microRNA-140 in human skeletal dysplasia. His work in CRISPR/Cas9 genome editing, at the intersection of computational analysis and RNA research, combined with the development of mathematical models, promises to enhance the safety and applicability of genome editing techniques in the future.

The JCA-Mauvernay Award

Since 2005, the Japanese Cancer Association (JCA) and Debiopharm have co-organized the ‘JCA-Mauvernay Award.’ The award highlights the innovative achievements of Japanese oncology researchers in both fundamental and clinical research. With a total value of CHF 25,000, the award represents the collaborative spirit of scientific discovery between Japan and Switzerland

The positive impact of the JCA Mauvernay Award has been illustrated through the variety of oncology research advances throughout the last 20 years. Notably, the award has encouraged breakthrough research leading to development of second-generation anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK) inhibitors (Dr. Mano), a class of anti-cancer drugs targeting an uncommon yet very specific target, the EML4-ALK fusion protein. In some cases, the independent appearance of certain mutations leads to the development of resistance to first-generation ALK inhibitors like crizotinib. Through the identification of the mutated area, second-generation ALK inhibitors like alectinib and loratinib have been developed to increase the survival of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients globally.

The award also brought breakthroughs for patients battling adult T-cell leukemia/lymphoma (ATL), an aggressive non-Hodgkin lymphoma with poor prognosis. Through the development of EZH1/2 inhibitors (Dr. Kitabayashi), a class of molecules repressing adult T-cell leukemia/lymphoma (ATL) through their inhibitory activity on either the enhancer of zeste homologue 2 (EZH2) or its homolog EZH1.

Finally, the 10th JCA Mauvernay awarded the discovery of the FGFR2 tyrosine kinase fusion (Ddr. Shibata), a type of mutation prevalent in 10-15% of Cholangiocarcinoma (CCA) cases. This discovery led to the clinical development of FGFR inhibitor, Tasurgratinib, whose market authorization was submitted in 2023 due to the satisfactory overall drug response rate and the manageable safety profile.

Debiopharm’s commitment to patients

Debiopharm aims to develop innovative therapies that target high unmet medical needs primarily in oncology and bacterial infections. Bridging the gap between disruptive discovery products and real-world patient reach, we identify high-potential compounds and technologies for in-licensing, clinically demonstrate their safety and efficacy, and then hand stewardship to large pharmaceutical commercialization partners to maximize patient access globally.