Merck Precision Alliance Summit 2022: Advancing High-Quality Precision Diagnosis and Treatment for Colorectal Cancer in China

On November 25, 2022, the 2nd Merck Colorectal Cancer Precision Alliance Summit, themed "Precision as an Alliance, Accompanying in Action," was successfully held in Shanghai. Professor Liang Zhiyong from the Department of Pathology at Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Professor Li Jin from the Department of Oncology at Oriental Hospital affiliated with Tongji University in Shanghai, Professor Zhang Jun from the Department of Oncology at Ruijin Hospital affiliated with Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Professors Sheng Weiqi and Zhou Xiaoyan from the Department of Pathology at Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Professor Ji Yuan from the Department of Pathology at Zhongshan Hospital affiliated with Fudan University, Professor Xue Weicheng from the Department of Pathology at Peking University Cancer Hospital, along with many other authoritative experts and leading companies in the field of gene sequencing and in vitro diagnostics gathered together. They focused on the development of China’s colorectal cancer precision diagnosis and treatment ecosystem and engaged in a lively discussion on the opportunities and challenges of standardized diagnosis and treatment for colorectal cancer in the era of precision medicine.

Standardization of Precision Detection for Colorectal Cancer Launch Ceremony

At the conference, Merck reached in-depth cooperation with eight leading companies in gene sequencing and in vitro diagnostics — Genetron Holdings Limited, Gene+, Qiuzhen Medical Technology (Beijing) Co., Ltd., Shanghai Rightongene Biotechnology Co., Ltd., Burning Rock Biotech Ltd, Illumina, Shenzhen Youshengkang Biotechnology Co., Ltd, and Shanghai Pillar Biotech Co., Ltd. — based on the TAILOR study. This collaboration is expected to facilitate the development of the world's first full RAS (NRAS+KRAS) cetuximab companion diagnostic kit. Additionally, a strategic partnership was formed with HaploX Biotechnology, marking an important step in upstream and downstream cooperation, which will bring more possibilities for the precise diagnosis and treatment of colorectal cancer patients. It is reported that the TAILOR study, as the world’s first large-scale, multi-center Phase III anti-EGFR treatment study on metastatic colorectal cancer conducted by Chinese researchers using NGS for patient screening, is not only the first clinical trial to explore the survival benefits of cetuximab combined with FOLFOX in treating Chinese RAS wild-type advanced colorectal cancer but also confirms the causal relationship between patient stratification and efficacy. This lays a solid foundation and provides evidence-based support for the development of RAS companion diagnostics.

Wei Zhang, Managing Director of Merck China's Healthcare Business, Delivers Opening Remarks

"As a global innovator in specialty drugs, Merck always puts patients at the center, committed to meeting unmet clinical needs. We support the development of precision diagnosis and treatment for colorectal cancer from multiple dimensions, including innovative drug research and development, exploration of diagnostic and treatment solutions, multidisciplinary collaboration, and expansion of partnerships," said Wei Zhang, Managing Director of Merck's pharmaceuticals and healthcare business in China. "In the future, we will continue to collaborate with various parties to explore an innovation model that connects industry, academia, research, and medicine, further enhancing the level of precision diagnosis and treatment for colorectal cancer in China, ultimately benefiting patients."

Low RAS Testing Rate in Colorectal Cancer Patients: Precision Diagnosis and Treatment Urgently Needs to Break Through the "Homogenized Treatment" Challenge

Colorectal cancer is one of the malignant tumors troubling patients in China. According to data from the World Health Organization, the incidence rate of colorectal cancer ranks 2nd in China, and the mortality rate ranks 5th. The number of patients is still on the rise. In recent years, with the advancement of diagnostic and treatment standards in China, as well as the emergence of targeted drugs and immunotherapy, an increasing number of colorectal cancer patients have surpassed the five-year survival period, achieving longer survival benefits.

However, according to the latest data from Ann Transl Med 2022, the diagnosis and treatment of colorectal cancer in China still face severe challenges: 76.9% of colorectal cancer patients are diagnosed at middle or advanced stages for the first time. Among patients with middle/advanced or metastatic colorectal cancer, 52.98% have the wild-type RAS gene status. Clinical studies have proven that these patients can achieve survival benefits and improved prognosis through treatment with specific targeted drugs (such as anti-EGFR monoclonal antibodies). However, the current RAS testing rate in China is only 41.4%, far lower than the over 90% testing rate in Europe. Consequently, there is a low application rate of precision treatment. It is reported that the usage rate of targeted drugs among Chinese colorectal cancer patients is only 31.27%.

Professor Li Jin from the Department of Oncology, Oriental Hospital, Tongji University, Shanghai, stated: "The TAILOR study is the first large-scale, multi-center Phase III clinical study on metastatic colorectal cancer conducted by Chinese researchers. As one of the principal investigators of the project, I am very pleased to see that as China's pharmaceutical innovation integrates into the international process, we can continue to bring benefits to patients in China and even globally. The path to precision testing for colorectal cancer in China still has a long way to go, and we hope to join hands with all sectors to face the challenges of precision diagnosis and treatment of colorectal cancer in China, increase the rate of early screening and the proportion of precision treatment, and benefit more patients."

"Precision medicine customizes healthcare and clinical decision-making for patients based on their intrinsic biological information as well as clinical signs and symptoms. In precision medicine, pathological diagnosis is particularly important, and accurate pathological test results are the relentless pursuit of pathologists. We continuously standardize pathological diagnostic testing criteria through updates to consensus guidelines and improve testing quality through quality control," said Professor Liang Zhiyong from the Department of Pathology at Peking Union Medical College Hospital. "In the future, we hope that through the efforts of all parties, we can address the challenges in the precise diagnosis and treatment of colorectal cancer in China, enabling more patients to receive more precise and effective treatment."

Professor Zhang Jun from the Department of Oncology at Ruijin Hospital, affiliated with Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, pointed out: "In the era of precision medicine, the emergence of targeted therapy has greatly improved patient survival. Biomarker testing is a prerequisite for precise treatment. A standardized biomarker testing process and reporting content are of great significance in assisting clinicians to standardize diagnosis and treatment, and in advancing the development of precision treatment for colorectal cancer in China."

Focusing on Industry Pain Points, Merck Collaborates with All Parties to Advance the Path of Standardized Precision Testing for Colorectal Cancer

The construction and development of the precision diagnosis and treatment ecosystem for colorectal cancer cannot be achieved without cross-disciplinary cooperation among industry, academia, research, and medicine. Adhering to the concept of "precision treatment, testing first," Merck, with patients at the center, is committed to integrating every aspect of colorectal cancer diagnosis and treatment. By collaborating with authoritative clinical experts and connecting upstream and downstream industries in tumor gene testing and precision treatment, Merck aims to enhance public awareness of precision oncology diagnosis and treatment, and jointly build a precision diagnosis and treatment ecosystem for colorectal cancer.

Since 2016, Merck has been actively advancing the precise detection of colorectal cancer and the establishment of standardized industry norms. It closely monitors diagnostic guidelines and consensus both in China and internationally, while collaborating with academic institutions and leading testing companies to jointly promote the standardization and normalization of molecular biomarker testing for colorectal cancer. These efforts aim to enhance the overall level of precision diagnosis and treatment, benefiting more patients.

Zeyi Yuan, Head of the Oncology Division at Merck China Healthcare, stated: "Merck has consistently collaborated with various forces to promote the standardized development of precision diagnosis and treatment for colorectal cancer. Today, we are entering into a strategic partnership with leaders in the gene testing field, consolidating efforts to connect the upstream and downstream industrial chains of precision medicine. In the future, we will continue to enhance the ecosystem for precision diagnosis and treatment of colorectal cancer in China, further improving the precision testing capabilities, standardization, and regulation in this field, increasing accessibility, and benefiting more patients with colorectal cancer."