Owkin, Gustave Roussy form strategic alliance to accelerate oncology clinical research with AI

Owkin, which develops machine learning models and deploys federated learning strategies to advance medical research, and Gustave Roussy, Europe’s leading cancer centre, announce a strategic research partnership. This follows the ‘AI for Health’ Challenge 2019 which was organised by the Ile-de-France Region with Gustave Roussy and won by Owkin. The goal of the strategic alliance is to accelerate clinical research in oncology.

Through the partnership, Owkin will be present on Gustave Roussy’s hospital premises where the Institute’s experts will be able to work side by side with Owkin’s data scientists to execute collaborative projects.

In addition to the onsite presence, Owkin will make its Owkin Studio software platform available to Gustave Roussy’s research physicians. This will enable the entire community of the centre to benefit from the best AI algorithms developed by Owkin. Gustave Roussy’s teams will be able to collaborate directly via Owkin Studio with Owkin experts, and further, understand the results of the algorithms trained on their data.

Stéphane Pardoux, Gustave Roussy’s Deputy Managing Director

The signature of a framework agreement with Owkin is the culmination of work that has brought into play the entire professional community of Gustave Roussy. This partnership is a win-win: Gustave Roussy benefits from Owkin’s world-leading machine learning and federated learning technologies which will be applied to the clinical oncology research conducted by the Institute; Owkin benefits from access to internationally renowned experts and is able to train its algorithms on high-quality research cohorts.

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Professor Nathalie Lassau, radiologist at Gustave Roussy, professor of radiology at the University of Paris-Saclay, co-director of BIOMAPS (Paris-Saclay, CNRS, Inserm, CEA) imaging research laboratory

Accelerating clinical research is a critical issue in the fight against cancer. We need to gain precious clinical time for patients as well as accelerate academic research. Together with Owkin, Prof. Fabrice André and Prof. Jean-Yves Scoazec, we will work to further develop the models initiated during the AI for Health challenge. In particular, we will develop a model based on multimodal data to quantify the risk of relapse in patients with localised breast cancer. We will also develop a prognostic disease evolution biomarker based on scanner and ultrasound images, which can help in the rapid identification of  the most appropriate treatment for each patient.”

We are very proud to announce this long-term collaboration with Gustave Roussy, Europe’s leading cancer centre,” says Meriem Sefta, Owkin’s Head of Partnerships. “We are delighted that our data scientists will be able to work closely with Gustave Roussy’s world-renowned researchers and apply their artificial intelligence techniques to exceptional cohorts. The data will remain within the hospital to provide Gustave Roussy’s clinicians with new research opportunities while respecting their patients’ data.

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Owkin, winner of the AI for Health Challenge 2019

As part of the IA 2021 Plan, the Paris Region announced in April 2019 the launch of three artificial intelligence challenges, each worth €1.5 million, in partnership with the sector’s leading specialists: the Paris Region AI Challenges. The “AI for Health ” Challenge, an initiative supported by the Paris Region in partnership with Gustave Roussy, was open to French and European start-ups and SMEs, provided they are based in the Paris Region or have plans to set up in the region. On September 5, Owkin was chosen as the winner of the challenge by a jury made up of professors in oncology, radiology, pathology, artificial intelligence specialists from the French National Institute for Research in Computer Science and Control (INRIA) and CentraleSupélec, as well as representatives from healthcare institutions such as Medicen and Cancer Campus.

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About Gustave Roussy

Gustave Roussy, a leading cancer centre in Europe, covers the full range of expertise in the world of oncology and is totally committed to looking after patients. Its 3,100 professional staff are dedicated to patient care, research and teaching. www.gustaveroussy.fr/en.