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The Man Who Invented “Genetics”

Today we remember British naturalist William Bateson, who was born on August 8, 1861.  Bateson knew since childhood that he wanted to be a naturalist.  Charles Darwin had just developed a unifying theory for the life sciences, called “evolution.” But Bateson disagreed with Darwin.  While Darwin argued that species evolve through a slow and continuous process, Bateson observed that distinct features in plants and animals often appeared and disappeared randomly between generations.  He became fascinated by discontinuous variation.

Spotlight

Swift Biosciences, Inc

Swift Biosciences specializes in sample preparation for next-generation sequencing (NGS). We are an energetic, highly innovative company focused on creating better tools to empower NGS technologies and deliver superior science. Our products are designed to help customers analyze samples faster, easier, and with greater sensitivity and accuracy while being compatible with leading instrumentation

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MedTech

Data Analytics: A Groundbreaking Technology in Biotech

Article | October 7, 2022

Biotechnology is a vast discipline of biology that employs diverse biological systems to create solutions that can significantly alter the ways in which they operate across various domains. That said, biotechnology is not a new notion. It has existed for millennia, with ancient civilizations using its earliest incarnations to cultivate crops and create alcoholic beverages. Today, the biotechnology industry has developed by leaps and bounds and has amassed a vast quantity of scientific data through study and research. Given the importance of data in the biotechnology business, it is not difficult to understand why biotech companies utilize data analytics. Modern data analytics tools have made it possible for researchers in the biotech industry to build predictive analytics models and gain knowledge about the most efficient approaches to accomplish their desired goals and objectives. Data analytics is increasingly being adopted by biotech businesses to better understand their industry and foresee any problems down the road. How is Data Analytics Revolutionizing Fields in Biotechnology? Today's business and scientific fields greatly benefit from data. Without the analysis of vast information libraries that provide new insights and enable new innovations, no industry can really advance. Being highly reliant on big data analytics, biotech is not an exception in this regard. With the tools and methods that help scientists systematize their findings and speed up their research for better and safer results, data analytics is making deeper inroads into the biotechnology industry. It is emerging as a crucial link between knowledge and information and is extensively being used for purposes other than just examining the information that is already available. The following are a few of the cutting-edge biotechnology applications of data analytics Genomics and Disease Treatment Pharmaceutical Drug Discovery Drug Recycling and Safety Agriculture and Agri-products Environmental Damage Mitigation Data Analytics Possibilities in Biotechnology With data analytics becoming an integral part of how biotech businesses operate, biotechnologists and related stakeholders need to understand its emergence and crucial role. Data analytics has opened new frontiers in the realm of biotechnology. Thanks to developments in data analytics, research and development activities that once took years may now be accomplished in a matter of months. Also, now scientists have access to biological, social, and environmental insights that can be exploited to create more effective and sustainable products. By understanding the importance of data-related tools and techniques applications, biotech companies are aiming to invest in the popularizing technology to stay updated in the fast-paced biotechnology industry.

Read More
MedTech

Expansion of BioPharma: Opportunities and Investments

Article | September 22, 2022

Biopharmaceutical innovations are among the most ingenious and refined achievements of modern medical science. New concepts, techniques, and therapies are emerging, such as the cell therapy Provenge, which can be used to treat cancer, and gene therapies, which provide even more amazing promises of disease remission and regenerative medicine. In addition, the COVID-19 pandemic has caused a huge boom in the pharmaceutical industry. This is because more and more attention is being paid to increasing manufacturing capacity and starting new research on drug development. Biopharma: Leading the Way in the Pharma Sector In the past couple of years, the biopharmaceutical sector has deepened its roots across the medical and pharmaceutical industries, on account of the transformation of pharmaceutical companies towards biotechnology, creating opportunities for growth. Also, growing advancements in technologies such as 3D bioprinting, biosensors, and gene editing, along with the integration of advanced artificial intelligence and virtual and augmented reality are estimated to further create prospects for growth. According to a study, the biopharmaceutical sector makes nearly $163 billion around the world and grows by more than 8% each year, which is twice as fast as the traditional pharma sector. Massive Investments Directed Towards Biopharma Investing in biotech research and development (R&D) has yielded better returns than the pharma industry average. Hence, a number of pharmaceutical companies are shifting their presence toward biopharma to capitalize on the upcoming opportunities by investing in and expanding their biotechnology infrastructure. For instance, Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc., an American manufacturer of scientific instrumentation, reagents and consumables, and software services, announced an investment of $97 million to expand its bioanalytical laboratory operations into three new locations in the U.S. With this investment, the company will add 150,000 square feet of scientific workspace and install the most advanced drug development technologies to produce life-changing medicines for patients in need.

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MedTech

How to Choose a Reliable Biotech Clinical Trial Management System?

Article | July 12, 2022

Introduction The medical and life-science industries are experiencing a robust transformation with the increasing prevalence of various types of diseases, including infectious diseases, chronic disorders, and acute conditions around the world. As a result, a significant rise in demand for more effective therapeutic drugs and bionics is being witnessed, leading to a swift increase in the number of clinical trials. For a successful trial, it is important for biotech companies to ensure the data submitted to regulatory bodies regarding clinical trials is accurate, reliable, and definitive from an ethical point of view. A reliable clinical trial management system plays a vital role in collecting, monitoring, and managing clinical data. The availability of high-quality clinical data also helps clinical research institutions make efficient treatment decisions and provide proper patient care. Hence, a number of biotech companies and research organizations are focusing on leveraging innovative clinical trial management solutions to handle a large amount of data, particularly in multi-center trials, and generate reliable, high-quality, and statistically sound data from clinical trials. However, selecting the most appropriate and reliable clinical trial management system is vital for the clinical trial's success. Let's see some of the steps that will assist these firms in choosing the right CTMS. Key Steps for Selecting Right Biotech Clinical Trial Management System Prioritize Study Needs Considering and prioritizing study needs is a crucial step in choosing the most reliable clinical trial management system for biotech companies. Prioritizing helps them to identify a solution that improves the study's quality and removes uncertainty for researchers when faced with difficult choices. Hence, biotech and life-science organizations should choose a clinical trial system that is simple to use, well-organized, and suitably designed to minimize the number of clicks required to complete a task. Select CTMS with Multiple Integrations Integrated clinical trial management systems provide the best value for the companies’ funds as they guarantee the smooth functioning of research protocols. In addition, integrations are necessary to fully understand the importance and advantages of clinical trial management software for ensuring smooth transitions between site management and data collection. Biotech and clinical research should look for CTMS platforms that can integrate with electronic medical record (EMR) platforms and clinical research process content (CRPC) billing grids. This will allow them to use the same billing designations and ensure compliance while minimizing the need for duplicate processes. Ensure System Compliance and Security Clinical research organizations need to adhere to a plethora of complex regulations in order to ensure compliance with one of the most challenging environments of principles, which is information security and privacy. Security and system compliance are vital aspects of choosing the right CTMS solutions for biotech firms as they assist in building trust and form a part of the system’s duties. While selecting CTMS systems, it is essential for companies engaged in clinical research to ensure that these platforms are able to configure both, group and individual permissions, along with having a data backup and recovery plan for hosted systems. This will allow companies to assess the privacy and security implications of research and anticipate complications that may arise in each phase of the project. Assess the Scalability Choosing a scalable CTMS that can accommodate various types of fluctuations and expansions enables biotech and clinical firms to quickly adapt to fast-changing trends and demand spikes while reducing maintenance costs and enhancing user agility. As scalability also means secure and expanded data storage, these businesses should instead use SaaS solutions than manually manage an ever-growing collection of hard drives. The right CTMS ensures accommodating the firm’s availability requirements without incurring the capital costs associated with expanding a physical infrastructure. The Closing Thought A well-executed and successful clinical trial involves multiple stages and processes. Several quality controls and stringent adherence to regulations are essential for the steps, along with efficient cross-departmental processes and procedures. Incorporating the right CTMS paves the way for paperless data collection, regulatory filing, and fiscal management tools for biotech researchers and administrative personnel.

Read More
Diagnostics

Making Predictions by Digitizing Bioprocessing

Article | April 20, 2021

With advances in data analytics and machine learning, the move from descriptive and diagnostic analytics to predictive and prescriptive analytics and controls—allowing us to better forecast and understand what will happen and thus optimize process outcomes—is not only feasible but inevitable, according to Bonnie Shum, principal engineer, pharma technical innovation, technology & manufacturing sciences and technology at Genentech. “Well-trained artificial intelligence systems can help drive better decision making and how data is analyzed from drug discovery to process development and to manufacturing processes,” she says. Those advances, though, only really matter when they improve the lives of patients. That’s exactly what Shum expects. “The convergence of digital transformation and operational/processing changes will be critical for the facilities of the future and meeting the needs of our patients,” she continues. “Digital solutions may one day provide fully automated bioprocessing, eliminating manual intervention and enabling us to anticipate potential process deviations to prevent process failures, leading to real-time release and thus faster access for patients.” To turn Bioprocessing 4.0 into a production line for precision healthcare, real-time release and quickly manufacturing personalized medicines will be critical. Adding digitization and advanced analytics wherever possible will drive those improvements. In fact, many of these improvements, especially moving from descriptive to predictive bioprocessing, depend on more digitization.

Read More
MedTech

How to Choose a Reliable Biotech Clinical Trial Management System?

Article | October 7, 2022

Biotechnology is a vast discipline of biology that employs diverse biological systems to create solutions that can significantly alter the ways in which they operate across various domains. That said, biotechnology is not a new notion. It has existed for millennia, with ancient civilizations using its earliest incarnations to cultivate crops and create alcoholic beverages. Today, the biotechnology industry has developed by leaps and bounds and has amassed a vast quantity of scientific data through study and research. Given the importance of data in the biotechnology business, it is not difficult to understand why biotech companies utilize data analytics. Modern data analytics tools have made it possible for researchers in the biotech industry to build predictive analytics models and gain knowledge about the most efficient approaches to accomplish their desired goals and objectives. Data analytics is increasingly being adopted by biotech businesses to better understand their industry and foresee any problems down the road. How is Data Analytics Revolutionizing Fields in Biotechnology? Today's business and scientific fields greatly benefit from data. Without the analysis of vast information libraries that provide new insights and enable new innovations, no industry can really advance. Being highly reliant on big data analytics, biotech is not an exception in this regard. With the tools and methods that help scientists systematize their findings and speed up their research for better and safer results, data analytics is making deeper inroads into the biotechnology industry. It is emerging as a crucial link between knowledge and information and is extensively being used for purposes other than just examining the information that is already available. The following are a few of the cutting-edge biotechnology applications of data analytics Genomics and Disease Treatment Pharmaceutical Drug Discovery Drug Recycling and Safety Agriculture and Agri-products Environmental Damage Mitigation Data Analytics Possibilities in Biotechnology With data analytics becoming an integral part of how biotech businesses operate, biotechnologists and related stakeholders need to understand its emergence and crucial role. Data analytics has opened new frontiers in the realm of biotechnology. Thanks to developments in data analytics, research and development activities that once took years may now be accomplished in a matter of months. Also, now scientists have access to biological, social, and environmental insights that can be exploited to create more effective and sustainable products. By understanding the importance of data-related tools and techniques applications, biotech companies are aiming to invest in the popularizing technology to stay updated in the fast-paced biotechnology industry.

Read More
MedTech

Top 3 Biotech Clinical Data Management Trends to Watch in 2022

Article | September 22, 2022

Biopharmaceutical innovations are among the most ingenious and refined achievements of modern medical science. New concepts, techniques, and therapies are emerging, such as the cell therapy Provenge, which can be used to treat cancer, and gene therapies, which provide even more amazing promises of disease remission and regenerative medicine. In addition, the COVID-19 pandemic has caused a huge boom in the pharmaceutical industry. This is because more and more attention is being paid to increasing manufacturing capacity and starting new research on drug development. Biopharma: Leading the Way in the Pharma Sector In the past couple of years, the biopharmaceutical sector has deepened its roots across the medical and pharmaceutical industries, on account of the transformation of pharmaceutical companies towards biotechnology, creating opportunities for growth. Also, growing advancements in technologies such as 3D bioprinting, biosensors, and gene editing, along with the integration of advanced artificial intelligence and virtual and augmented reality are estimated to further create prospects for growth. According to a study, the biopharmaceutical sector makes nearly $163 billion around the world and grows by more than 8% each year, which is twice as fast as the traditional pharma sector. Massive Investments Directed Towards Biopharma Investing in biotech research and development (R&D) has yielded better returns than the pharma industry average. Hence, a number of pharmaceutical companies are shifting their presence toward biopharma to capitalize on the upcoming opportunities by investing in and expanding their biotechnology infrastructure. For instance, Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc., an American manufacturer of scientific instrumentation, reagents and consumables, and software services, announced an investment of $97 million to expand its bioanalytical laboratory operations into three new locations in the U.S. With this investment, the company will add 150,000 square feet of scientific workspace and install the most advanced drug development technologies to produce life-changing medicines for patients in need.

Read More
MedTech

Expansion of BioPharma: Opportunities and Investments

Article | July 12, 2022

Introduction The medical and life-science industries are experiencing a robust transformation with the increasing prevalence of various types of diseases, including infectious diseases, chronic disorders, and acute conditions around the world. As a result, a significant rise in demand for more effective therapeutic drugs and bionics is being witnessed, leading to a swift increase in the number of clinical trials. For a successful trial, it is important for biotech companies to ensure the data submitted to regulatory bodies regarding clinical trials is accurate, reliable, and definitive from an ethical point of view. A reliable clinical trial management system plays a vital role in collecting, monitoring, and managing clinical data. The availability of high-quality clinical data also helps clinical research institutions make efficient treatment decisions and provide proper patient care. Hence, a number of biotech companies and research organizations are focusing on leveraging innovative clinical trial management solutions to handle a large amount of data, particularly in multi-center trials, and generate reliable, high-quality, and statistically sound data from clinical trials. However, selecting the most appropriate and reliable clinical trial management system is vital for the clinical trial's success. Let's see some of the steps that will assist these firms in choosing the right CTMS. Key Steps for Selecting Right Biotech Clinical Trial Management System Prioritize Study Needs Considering and prioritizing study needs is a crucial step in choosing the most reliable clinical trial management system for biotech companies. Prioritizing helps them to identify a solution that improves the study's quality and removes uncertainty for researchers when faced with difficult choices. Hence, biotech and life-science organizations should choose a clinical trial system that is simple to use, well-organized, and suitably designed to minimize the number of clicks required to complete a task. Select CTMS with Multiple Integrations Integrated clinical trial management systems provide the best value for the companies’ funds as they guarantee the smooth functioning of research protocols. In addition, integrations are necessary to fully understand the importance and advantages of clinical trial management software for ensuring smooth transitions between site management and data collection. Biotech and clinical research should look for CTMS platforms that can integrate with electronic medical record (EMR) platforms and clinical research process content (CRPC) billing grids. This will allow them to use the same billing designations and ensure compliance while minimizing the need for duplicate processes. Ensure System Compliance and Security Clinical research organizations need to adhere to a plethora of complex regulations in order to ensure compliance with one of the most challenging environments of principles, which is information security and privacy. Security and system compliance are vital aspects of choosing the right CTMS solutions for biotech firms as they assist in building trust and form a part of the system’s duties. While selecting CTMS systems, it is essential for companies engaged in clinical research to ensure that these platforms are able to configure both, group and individual permissions, along with having a data backup and recovery plan for hosted systems. This will allow companies to assess the privacy and security implications of research and anticipate complications that may arise in each phase of the project. Assess the Scalability Choosing a scalable CTMS that can accommodate various types of fluctuations and expansions enables biotech and clinical firms to quickly adapt to fast-changing trends and demand spikes while reducing maintenance costs and enhancing user agility. As scalability also means secure and expanded data storage, these businesses should instead use SaaS solutions than manually manage an ever-growing collection of hard drives. The right CTMS ensures accommodating the firm’s availability requirements without incurring the capital costs associated with expanding a physical infrastructure. The Closing Thought A well-executed and successful clinical trial involves multiple stages and processes. Several quality controls and stringent adherence to regulations are essential for the steps, along with efficient cross-departmental processes and procedures. Incorporating the right CTMS paves the way for paperless data collection, regulatory filing, and fiscal management tools for biotech researchers and administrative personnel.

Read More
Diagnostics

Making Predictions by Digitizing Bioprocessing

Article | April 20, 2021

With advances in data analytics and machine learning, the move from descriptive and diagnostic analytics to predictive and prescriptive analytics and controls—allowing us to better forecast and understand what will happen and thus optimize process outcomes—is not only feasible but inevitable, according to Bonnie Shum, principal engineer, pharma technical innovation, technology & manufacturing sciences and technology at Genentech. “Well-trained artificial intelligence systems can help drive better decision making and how data is analyzed from drug discovery to process development and to manufacturing processes,” she says. Those advances, though, only really matter when they improve the lives of patients. That’s exactly what Shum expects. “The convergence of digital transformation and operational/processing changes will be critical for the facilities of the future and meeting the needs of our patients,” she continues. “Digital solutions may one day provide fully automated bioprocessing, eliminating manual intervention and enabling us to anticipate potential process deviations to prevent process failures, leading to real-time release and thus faster access for patients.” To turn Bioprocessing 4.0 into a production line for precision healthcare, real-time release and quickly manufacturing personalized medicines will be critical. Adding digitization and advanced analytics wherever possible will drive those improvements. In fact, many of these improvements, especially moving from descriptive to predictive bioprocessing, depend on more digitization.

Read More
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Spotlight

Swift Biosciences, Inc

Swift Biosciences specializes in sample preparation for next-generation sequencing (NGS). We are an energetic, highly innovative company focused on creating better tools to empower NGS technologies and deliver superior science. Our products are designed to help customers analyze samples faster, easier, and with greater sensitivity and accuracy while being compatible with leading instrumentation

Related News

Cell and Gene Therapy

MUSC and Helix launch In Our DNA SC, first-of-its-kind population genomics program to drive preventive, precision health care for South Carolinians

Helix | September 21, 2021

The Medical University of South Carolina (MUSC) and Helix have announced a strategic collaboration to develop a first-of-its-kind population genomics initiative in South Carolina called In Our DNA SC. The large-scale program is designed to improve health care outcomes by integrating genetic insights into clinical care and research. The statewide initiative will enroll 100,000 patients in genetic testing over the next four years at no cost to the patient. The program will enable the use of genomic insights with an initial focus on actionable information regarding a patient's risk for certain forms of cancer and cardiovascular disease. The genetic reports will allow patients and their health providers to develop precision health care plans to proactively mitigate the conditions and take a more preventive approach to patient care. Patient enrollment in In Our DNA SC is expected to begin in the fall. Medical University of South Carolina and Helix to develop a first-of-its-kind genomics initiative called In Our DNA SC. In addition, MUSC and Helix will be developing a robust clinico-genomic dataset from consenting participants that will help researchers learn what can cause certain diseases, how we may be able to treat them more effectively and, possibly, improve the standard care for everyone. This is expected to lay the groundwork for a broader collaboration with other organizations across the health care value chain. As South Carolina's only comprehensive academic health sciences center, delivering the highest quality care throughout the state is our top priority. Precision medicine is an emerging field that is going to transform the future delivery of health care. Being a leader and helping to define this path is core to our mission. We are excited to have the opportunity to partner with Helix to deploy this first-of-its-kind population genomic program for our patients. This collaboration will help drive preventive, precision health care for South Carolinians. - David J. Cole, M.D., FACS, MUSC president The strategic relationship with Helix allows MUSC to leverage Helix's unique Sequence Once, Query Often™ model and its end-to-end integration platform to enable immediate application and continual on-demand use of genetic insights throughout a patient's life. By working with South Carolina's only integrated academic health sciences center in the state, Helix gains access to thousands of providers and research staff dedicated to understanding how to deliver the highest quality patient care available to serve the people of South Carolina and beyond. Enrollment in the program will initially be available to patients who sign up at select MUSC clinics and locations, later expanding to participants throughout the community and state in collaboration with MUSC's clinical affiliates and partners. Additionally, participants who consent to securely contribute their genetic data will help MUSC develop one of the largest clinico-genomic datasets in the country. Analyses from this platform will be used to pioneer and further advance genomics research. About the Medical University of South Carolina Founded in 1824 in Charleston, MUSC is home to the oldest medical school in the South as well as the state's only integrated academic health sciences center, with a unique charge to serve the state through education, research and patient care. Each year, MUSC educates and trains more than 3,000 students and nearly 800 residents in six colleges: Dental Medicine, Graduate Studies, Health Professions, Medicine, Nursing and Pharmacy. MUSC brought in more than $271 million in biomedical research funds in fiscal year 2020, continuing to lead the state in obtaining National Institutes of Health funding, with more than $129.9 million. As the clinical health system of the Medical University of South Carolina, MUSC Health is dedicated to delivering the highest quality and safe patient care while training generations of compassionate, competent health care providers to serve the people of South Carolina and beyond. Close to 25,000 care team members provide care for patients at 14 hospitals with approximately 2,500 beds and 5 additional hospital locations in development, more than 300 telehealth sites and nearly 750 care locations situated in the Lowcountry, Midlands, Pee Dee and Upstate regions of South Carolina. In 2021, for the seventh consecutive year, U.S. News & World Report named MUSC Health the No. 1 hospital in South Carolina.MUSC and its affiliates have collective annual budgets of $4.4 billion. The more than 25,000 MUSC team members include world-class faculty, physicians, specialty providers and scientists who deliver groundbreaking education, research, technology and patient care. About Helix Helix is the leading population genomics company operating at the intersection of clinical care, research, and genomics. Its end-to-end platform enables health systems, life sciences companies, and payers to advance genomic research and accelerate the integration of genomic data into clinical care. Powered by one of the world's largest CLIA / CAP next-generation sequencing labs and the first and only FDA authorized whole exome sequencing platform, Helix supports all aspects of population genomics including recruitment and engagement, clinically actionable disease screening, return of results, and basic and translational research. In response to the COVID-19 public health crisis, Helix has launched a sensitive and scalable end-to-end COVID-19 test system to meet the needs of health systems, employees, governments, and other organizations across the country.

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MedTech

Oracle and Oxford Nanopore Team Up to Improve Healthcare and Speed Discovery of New Medical Breakthroughs

Oracle | September 16, 2021

Advances in DNA/RNA sequencing promise to revolutionize how medical communities identify, detect, and treat diseases and manage public health threats. To make this technology more accessible and increase its impact, Oracle has teamed up with Oxford Nanopore Technologies, the company behind a new generation of high-performance, rapid, scalable, and accessible sequencing technology. Oracle and Oxford Nanopore have recently begun a collaboration to jointly explore several potential new solutions that would use genomic sequencing running on Oracle Cloud Infrastructure (OCI) to help speed medical breakthroughs and improve patient care. Scientific researchers in more than 100 countries are already using nanopore sequencing to further their understanding of biology in a range of areas including human and cancer genetics as well as plant, animal, and environmental analyses. In addition, nanopore sequencing has been used for pathogen analysis, including the outbreak surveillance of tuberculosis, food-borne pathogens, Ebola, Zika, Lassa fever, dengue fever, influenza, and most recently COVID-19. As part of the collaboration, Oxford Nanopore will be using OCI in applied and clinical markets. Leveraging the high performance, security, and extensive reach of Oracle Cloud, Oracle and Oxford Nanopore will have the ability to extend population-scale genetic sequencing across the globe. The organizations will also take on several ambitious projects spanning epidemiology, whole-genome sequencing, and healthcare and drug discovery. This includes integrating Oxford Nanopore's DNA/RNA sequencing capabilities and data into Oracle's broad portfolio of healthcare and life sciences applications to strengthen the links between genomics, medical treatment, and drug development. Oxford Nanopore's innovative sequencing technology is unparalleled in the market for its ability to generate rich, accurate genomic data at any scale, from handheld devices to ultra-high output installations, By integrating genomic data into our existing applications and cloud infrastructure solutions, we can get these powerful tools into the hands of more people to solve critical health issues faster and improve patient outcomes to usher in a new era of genomic breakthrough. - Mike Sicilia, executive vice president of Oracle Vertical Industries. In parallel, Oracle has committed to investing £150 million in Oxford Nanopore, subject to customary conditions. About Oracle Oracle offers integrated suites of applications plus secure, autonomous infrastructure in the Oracle Cloud.

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Medical

Precision NanoSystems is Now a Part of Danaher's Life Sciences Platform

Cytiva, Pall Corporation | June 02, 2021

Danaher Corporation's Life Sciences platform has acquired precision NanoSystems (PNI). PNI is a global leader in technologies and solutions for developing genetic medicines, including mRNA vaccines and therapeutics. PNI will join Danaher's Life Sciences platform and complement other businesses in the forum, including Cytiva and Pall. "PNI has advanced several exciting innovations, and we're thrilled to welcome this talented team," says Emmanuel Ligner, Danaher Group Executive. "As mRNA has matured as a successful technology in some COVID vaccines, we see huge potential for this technology to accelerate other therapies. The work done thus far by the PNI team will also enable our customers at Cytiva and Pall to take a huge step forward in advancing their science to improve the lives of patients." James Taylor, co-founder, and CEO of Precision NanoSystems, says: "Over the last ten years, PNI has been a leading technology company, enabling the development of genetic medicines. Joining Danaher's Life Sciences platform allows our world-class team to accelerate and expand the work we do to support our customers with comprehensive technology platforms and the expertise to manufacture transformative medicines for the benefit of humanity. With the global reach of the Danaher Life Sciences platform and customers who are leaders in biotechnology, this is an incredible opportunity to bring PNI's innovations to market and expand our impact." The overall mRNA therapeutics and vaccines market was growing rapidly and accelerated with the development of COVID-19 mRNA vaccines. It is anticipated that mRNA technology will be used to develop other vaccines and to treat other conditions of high unmet medical need, such as cancer and genetic diseases. At present, most mRNA therapies and other types of genetic medicines in clinical development are designed to be delivered with the help of lipid nanoparticles (LNPs). PNI's Genetic Medicine Toolkit, including its proprietary GenVoyTM LNP delivery platform and NanoAssemblrTM microfluidic-based nanoparticle manufacturing platform, enables the rapid development of genetic medicines. PNI's validated technologies increase the stability, efficacy, yield, and quality of non-viral genetic medication and lower the barrier to develop these essential medicines. PNI is developing a new center of manufacturing excellence in Vancouver, which will proceed as planned. When complete, the biomanufacturing center will further advance Canadian therapeutic and vaccine manufacturing capabilities, broaden the domestic life sciences sector, create new jobs in the region, and foster a new generation of scientific talent. About Pall Pall Corporation may be a filtration, separation, and purification leader providing solutions to meet customers' critical fluid management needs across the broad spectrum of life sciences and industry. Pall works with customers to advance health, safety, and environmentally responsible technologies. The Company's engineered products enable process and product innovation and minimize emissions and waste. Pall Corporation serves customers worldwide. About Cytiva Cytiva is a global life science leader with more than 8,000 associates across 40 countries dedicated to advancing and accelerating therapeutics. As a trusted partner to customers that range in scale and scope, Cytiva brings speed, efficiency, and capacity to research and manufacture workflows, enabling the development, manufacture, and delivery of transformative medicines to patients.

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Cell and Gene Therapy

MUSC and Helix launch In Our DNA SC, first-of-its-kind population genomics program to drive preventive, precision health care for South Carolinians

Helix | September 21, 2021

The Medical University of South Carolina (MUSC) and Helix have announced a strategic collaboration to develop a first-of-its-kind population genomics initiative in South Carolina called In Our DNA SC. The large-scale program is designed to improve health care outcomes by integrating genetic insights into clinical care and research. The statewide initiative will enroll 100,000 patients in genetic testing over the next four years at no cost to the patient. The program will enable the use of genomic insights with an initial focus on actionable information regarding a patient's risk for certain forms of cancer and cardiovascular disease. The genetic reports will allow patients and their health providers to develop precision health care plans to proactively mitigate the conditions and take a more preventive approach to patient care. Patient enrollment in In Our DNA SC is expected to begin in the fall. Medical University of South Carolina and Helix to develop a first-of-its-kind genomics initiative called In Our DNA SC. In addition, MUSC and Helix will be developing a robust clinico-genomic dataset from consenting participants that will help researchers learn what can cause certain diseases, how we may be able to treat them more effectively and, possibly, improve the standard care for everyone. This is expected to lay the groundwork for a broader collaboration with other organizations across the health care value chain. As South Carolina's only comprehensive academic health sciences center, delivering the highest quality care throughout the state is our top priority. Precision medicine is an emerging field that is going to transform the future delivery of health care. Being a leader and helping to define this path is core to our mission. We are excited to have the opportunity to partner with Helix to deploy this first-of-its-kind population genomic program for our patients. This collaboration will help drive preventive, precision health care for South Carolinians. - David J. Cole, M.D., FACS, MUSC president The strategic relationship with Helix allows MUSC to leverage Helix's unique Sequence Once, Query Often™ model and its end-to-end integration platform to enable immediate application and continual on-demand use of genetic insights throughout a patient's life. By working with South Carolina's only integrated academic health sciences center in the state, Helix gains access to thousands of providers and research staff dedicated to understanding how to deliver the highest quality patient care available to serve the people of South Carolina and beyond. Enrollment in the program will initially be available to patients who sign up at select MUSC clinics and locations, later expanding to participants throughout the community and state in collaboration with MUSC's clinical affiliates and partners. Additionally, participants who consent to securely contribute their genetic data will help MUSC develop one of the largest clinico-genomic datasets in the country. Analyses from this platform will be used to pioneer and further advance genomics research. About the Medical University of South Carolina Founded in 1824 in Charleston, MUSC is home to the oldest medical school in the South as well as the state's only integrated academic health sciences center, with a unique charge to serve the state through education, research and patient care. Each year, MUSC educates and trains more than 3,000 students and nearly 800 residents in six colleges: Dental Medicine, Graduate Studies, Health Professions, Medicine, Nursing and Pharmacy. MUSC brought in more than $271 million in biomedical research funds in fiscal year 2020, continuing to lead the state in obtaining National Institutes of Health funding, with more than $129.9 million. As the clinical health system of the Medical University of South Carolina, MUSC Health is dedicated to delivering the highest quality and safe patient care while training generations of compassionate, competent health care providers to serve the people of South Carolina and beyond. Close to 25,000 care team members provide care for patients at 14 hospitals with approximately 2,500 beds and 5 additional hospital locations in development, more than 300 telehealth sites and nearly 750 care locations situated in the Lowcountry, Midlands, Pee Dee and Upstate regions of South Carolina. In 2021, for the seventh consecutive year, U.S. News & World Report named MUSC Health the No. 1 hospital in South Carolina.MUSC and its affiliates have collective annual budgets of $4.4 billion. The more than 25,000 MUSC team members include world-class faculty, physicians, specialty providers and scientists who deliver groundbreaking education, research, technology and patient care. About Helix Helix is the leading population genomics company operating at the intersection of clinical care, research, and genomics. Its end-to-end platform enables health systems, life sciences companies, and payers to advance genomic research and accelerate the integration of genomic data into clinical care. Powered by one of the world's largest CLIA / CAP next-generation sequencing labs and the first and only FDA authorized whole exome sequencing platform, Helix supports all aspects of population genomics including recruitment and engagement, clinically actionable disease screening, return of results, and basic and translational research. In response to the COVID-19 public health crisis, Helix has launched a sensitive and scalable end-to-end COVID-19 test system to meet the needs of health systems, employees, governments, and other organizations across the country.

Read More

MedTech

Oracle and Oxford Nanopore Team Up to Improve Healthcare and Speed Discovery of New Medical Breakthroughs

Oracle | September 16, 2021

Advances in DNA/RNA sequencing promise to revolutionize how medical communities identify, detect, and treat diseases and manage public health threats. To make this technology more accessible and increase its impact, Oracle has teamed up with Oxford Nanopore Technologies, the company behind a new generation of high-performance, rapid, scalable, and accessible sequencing technology. Oracle and Oxford Nanopore have recently begun a collaboration to jointly explore several potential new solutions that would use genomic sequencing running on Oracle Cloud Infrastructure (OCI) to help speed medical breakthroughs and improve patient care. Scientific researchers in more than 100 countries are already using nanopore sequencing to further their understanding of biology in a range of areas including human and cancer genetics as well as plant, animal, and environmental analyses. In addition, nanopore sequencing has been used for pathogen analysis, including the outbreak surveillance of tuberculosis, food-borne pathogens, Ebola, Zika, Lassa fever, dengue fever, influenza, and most recently COVID-19. As part of the collaboration, Oxford Nanopore will be using OCI in applied and clinical markets. Leveraging the high performance, security, and extensive reach of Oracle Cloud, Oracle and Oxford Nanopore will have the ability to extend population-scale genetic sequencing across the globe. The organizations will also take on several ambitious projects spanning epidemiology, whole-genome sequencing, and healthcare and drug discovery. This includes integrating Oxford Nanopore's DNA/RNA sequencing capabilities and data into Oracle's broad portfolio of healthcare and life sciences applications to strengthen the links between genomics, medical treatment, and drug development. Oxford Nanopore's innovative sequencing technology is unparalleled in the market for its ability to generate rich, accurate genomic data at any scale, from handheld devices to ultra-high output installations, By integrating genomic data into our existing applications and cloud infrastructure solutions, we can get these powerful tools into the hands of more people to solve critical health issues faster and improve patient outcomes to usher in a new era of genomic breakthrough. - Mike Sicilia, executive vice president of Oracle Vertical Industries. In parallel, Oracle has committed to investing £150 million in Oxford Nanopore, subject to customary conditions. About Oracle Oracle offers integrated suites of applications plus secure, autonomous infrastructure in the Oracle Cloud.

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Precision NanoSystems is Now a Part of Danaher's Life Sciences Platform

Cytiva, Pall Corporation | June 02, 2021

Danaher Corporation's Life Sciences platform has acquired precision NanoSystems (PNI). PNI is a global leader in technologies and solutions for developing genetic medicines, including mRNA vaccines and therapeutics. PNI will join Danaher's Life Sciences platform and complement other businesses in the forum, including Cytiva and Pall. "PNI has advanced several exciting innovations, and we're thrilled to welcome this talented team," says Emmanuel Ligner, Danaher Group Executive. "As mRNA has matured as a successful technology in some COVID vaccines, we see huge potential for this technology to accelerate other therapies. The work done thus far by the PNI team will also enable our customers at Cytiva and Pall to take a huge step forward in advancing their science to improve the lives of patients." James Taylor, co-founder, and CEO of Precision NanoSystems, says: "Over the last ten years, PNI has been a leading technology company, enabling the development of genetic medicines. Joining Danaher's Life Sciences platform allows our world-class team to accelerate and expand the work we do to support our customers with comprehensive technology platforms and the expertise to manufacture transformative medicines for the benefit of humanity. With the global reach of the Danaher Life Sciences platform and customers who are leaders in biotechnology, this is an incredible opportunity to bring PNI's innovations to market and expand our impact." The overall mRNA therapeutics and vaccines market was growing rapidly and accelerated with the development of COVID-19 mRNA vaccines. It is anticipated that mRNA technology will be used to develop other vaccines and to treat other conditions of high unmet medical need, such as cancer and genetic diseases. At present, most mRNA therapies and other types of genetic medicines in clinical development are designed to be delivered with the help of lipid nanoparticles (LNPs). PNI's Genetic Medicine Toolkit, including its proprietary GenVoyTM LNP delivery platform and NanoAssemblrTM microfluidic-based nanoparticle manufacturing platform, enables the rapid development of genetic medicines. PNI's validated technologies increase the stability, efficacy, yield, and quality of non-viral genetic medication and lower the barrier to develop these essential medicines. PNI is developing a new center of manufacturing excellence in Vancouver, which will proceed as planned. When complete, the biomanufacturing center will further advance Canadian therapeutic and vaccine manufacturing capabilities, broaden the domestic life sciences sector, create new jobs in the region, and foster a new generation of scientific talent. About Pall Pall Corporation may be a filtration, separation, and purification leader providing solutions to meet customers' critical fluid management needs across the broad spectrum of life sciences and industry. Pall works with customers to advance health, safety, and environmentally responsible technologies. The Company's engineered products enable process and product innovation and minimize emissions and waste. Pall Corporation serves customers worldwide. About Cytiva Cytiva is a global life science leader with more than 8,000 associates across 40 countries dedicated to advancing and accelerating therapeutics. As a trusted partner to customers that range in scale and scope, Cytiva brings speed, efficiency, and capacity to research and manufacture workflows, enabling the development, manufacture, and delivery of transformative medicines to patients.

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