Genedata, Congenica, Nanome, And More: News From January 2018
January 29, 2018 | January featured exciting new, products, and partnerships from around the bio-IT community from innovating companies, organizations, and universities, including Genedata, Congenica, Nanome, and more.
Congenica announced the appointment of its new Chief Executive Officer, David Atkins. Based at the Company’s headquarters in Cambridge, UK, Dr Atkins also joins Congenica’s Board of Directors. Atkins has over 25 years’ experience as a global leader in a broad range of diagnostics and healthcare businesses. He has held senior positions in R&D, business development, operations and sales, and marketing. He has extensive commercial experience in markets in North America, EMEA, Asia, and Latin America. Prior to joining Congenica, Atkins was previously CEO of Synevo, a clinical diagnostic laboratory service business operating across Germany and Eastern Europe. Past roles also include global head of the Advanced Staining pathology business unit for Leica Biosystems, a Danaher Company. Atkins also has over 20 years’ experience with Johnson & Johnson’s Medical Device and Diagnostic businesses in R&D and business development and most recently senior international commercial roles. Press release
Researchers from the Molecular Information Systems Lab at the University of Washington and Microsoft are looking to collect 10,000 original images from around the world to preserve them indefinitely in synthetic DNA manufactured by Twist Bioscience. DNA holds promise as a revolutionary storage medium that lasts much longer and is many orders of magnitude denser than current technologies. The #MemoriesInDNA Project invites the public to submit original photographs that they’d like to see preserved in DNA for millennia. The images — which can be uploaded at the project website — will be encoded in synthetic DNA and made available to researchers worldwide. The researchers also are encouraging people to share their images on social media with the hashtag #MemoriesInDNA and include a story about why the photograph or video is important to them. Press release
Science Exchange announced a partnership with Nanome to offer scientists on-demand access to Nanome’s blockchain and virtual reality technology. “We can revolutionize the way science is done through our virtual reality drug design tool, NanoPro, and the Matryx blockchain platform,” said Steve McCloskey, CEO and Founder of Nanome, in a press release. “Historically, scientists have had problems with collaboration and efficiency in their research, so we are excited to partner with Science Exchange to accelerate scientific development across the world.” “We are thrilled to welcome Nanome to Science Exchange’s platform of more than 2,500 qualified providers that allow researchers access to innovative scientific technologies and services to advance their discoveries,” said Elizabeth Iorns, co-founder and CEO of Science Exchange, said in a written statement. “Our global community of scientists can now instantly access Nanome’s virtual reality drug design and development tool to better visualize complex 3D data through immersive applications." Press release
Genedata, HighRes Biosolutions, and Titian Software announced a partnership integrating their flagship products into a seamless solution that automates iterative drug discovery processes for designing and planning, testing, and data analysis. The approach offers a streamlined workflow from sample logistics to automation to analysis and back, effortlessly moving information to where it is needed and ultimately providing researchers with the time and freedom to focus on their science. The partnership builds on collaborations in which HighRes and Titian connected Cellario and Mosaic to automatically interpret and produce Mosaic-defined work, replication, jobs, etc. Titian and Genedata integrated Mosaic with Genedata Screener to automatically retrieve assay plate sample data from Mosaic. Most recently, Cellario was integrated with Genedata Screener for real-time data analysis of Cellario experiment results. The integration of all three solutions effectively closes the loop on logistics, production, and data analysis. Press Release
BeiGene announced the pricing of its follow-on public offering of 7,425,750 American Depositary Shares (ADSs), each representing 13 of its ordinary shares, par value $0.0001 per share, at a price to the public of $101.00 per ADS. The gross proceeds to BeiGene from the offering, before deducting underwriting discounts and commissions and other offering expenses, are expected to be approximately $750 million. In addition, BeiGene has granted the underwriters a 30-day option to purchase up to an additional 495,050 ADSs at the public offering price, less underwriting discounts and commissions. The offering is expected to close on January 22, 2018, subject to customary closing conditions. BeiGene intends to use proceeds from the offering for working capital and general corporate purposes, including research and development activities. Press Release
OWKIN announced a $11 million Series A funding round, led by Otium Venture with participation from Cathay Innovation, Plug and Play, and NJF Capital, bringing the Company’s total financing to $13.1 million in one year. OWKIN’s Series A funding round demonstrates the market’s appetite for a digital technology-driven approach to clinical development and medical research. OWKIN will use the funds to scale its innovative platform, OWKIN Socrates, cultivate high-value partnerships with leading healthcare organizations, and fuel internal growth. Bruno Raillard, partner at Otium Venture, will join OWKIN’s Board of Directors, which currently includes co-founders Gilles Wainrib and Thomas Clozel, and NJF Capital founder Nicole Junkermann. Press Release
Dovetail Genomics expanded its commitment to the research world to make best-in-class genome assemblies available to all. The new Dovetail Hi-C Kit, with cloud-based HiRise software for genome assembly, delivers the capabilities of the company's service offering in kit format for researchers who prefer a hands-on experience in their own labs. Additionally, Dovetail announced it has lowered its scaffolding service pricing, a result of efficiencies achieved by building and delivering hundreds of assemblies over the last few years. Press Release
Curetis announced that the company is advancing its strategic alliance in NGS-based infectious disease testing. To this end, Curetis has signed a Supply and Authorization Agreement as well as a further R&D Collaboration and Service Agreement with MGI. The parties aim to integrate Curetis´ patented Unyvero Lysator-based sample preparation technology and MGI’s NGS next generation sequencing technology to develop a fully automated workflow that allows the processing of any type of native clinical sample with the subsequent NGS-based detection of microbial pathogens and genetic markers for antibiotic resistances. Under the terms of the agreement and subject to certain conditions, MGI will reimburse Curetis for supporting the workflow integration and transferring this advanced technology, and pay technology access fees, a transfer price on OEM hardware and consumables, and royalties on product sales. Further financial details were not disclosed. In addition, the partners expect to further execute the strategic roadmap set forth in their Memorandum of Understanding signed in September 2017 by also advancing their collaboration to develop a targeted NGS assay for microbial infections based on the GEAR GEnetic Antibiotic Resistance and Susceptibility technology platform and database from Ares Genetics, a 100% subsidiary of Curetis. The companies are further exploring commercial collaboration opportunities to fast track market development and commercialization of NGS-based molecular microbiology offerings in China and Europe. Press Release
AMRA and Human Longevity have announced a new agreement that will see AMRA's body composition profiling added to HLI's premier health assessment, the Health Nucleus experience. The Health Nucleus integrates genomics, metabolic profiling, and other clinical testing with advanced whole body and brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), which now includes the body composition profiling provided by AMRA. This integrated, whole-body experience empowers patients to take control of their own health by proactively planning to stay ahead of aging and illness. AMRA's mission is to establish a new global standard in body composition assessment and to confront global health challenges by enhancing the evidence base needed to predict and prevent disease – a precise, cost-effective way to understand our bodies far beyond what is commonly used today. AMRA is the first company in the world to transform images from a 6-minute whole body MRI into 3D-volumetric fat and muscle measurements, while enabling market-leading accuracy and precision when assessing fat and muscle volume and distribution, as well as metabolic status. Press Release
Science Exchange teamed up with Lab Launch. This partnership with Science Exchange allows Lab Launch's resident companies to easily supplement and complement their in-house resources with external research tools, technologies, and expertise. Science Exchange enables immediate access to over 2,500+ commercial CROs, academic labs, and government facilities under a single marketplace agreement, in addition to a 24/7 PhD-level support by Science Exchange staff scientists. "Our goal is to give LA-based scientists and entrepreneurs every opportunity to further their ideas and innovations in a way that is affordable and that will also give them access to the best scientific resources available,” said Marie Rippen, CEO of Lab Launch, in a press release. “By partnering with Science Exchange, Lab Launch can now offer our companies access to fully vetted service providers in a secure environment, so our scientists can devote time to advancing their ideas instead of being bogged down with administrative tasks including researching and negotiating with service providers.” Press Release