CELL AND GENE THERAPY, MEDICAL
QIAGEN | January 11, 2023
QIAGEN recently announced its acquisition of Verogen, a leader in utilizing next-generation sequencing (NGS) technologies to advance the future of human identification (HID) and forensic investigation.
QIAGEN, which introduced the first commercial kits to purify DNA from forensic casework samples in the late 1990s, is one of the leaders in the HID/forensics sector.
Verogen, a privately-owned company launched in 2017, provides NGS tools and professional services to the worldwide human identification community to assist in resolving criminal and missing-person situations.
Thierry Bernard, CEO of QIAGEN, said, “Bringing together Verogen and QIAGEN creates a unique opportunity to better help investigators and researchers to advance forensic science and to find missing persons, accurately identify suspects and exonerate the innocent.”
(Source: Business Wire)
Brett Williams, CEO of Verogen, stated, “We are proud to take our successful partnership with QIAGEN to the next level in a combination that we believe creates significant advantages for all stakeholders.”
(Source: Business Wire)
Verogen's sequencing and analysis solutions are optimized for Illumina's MiSeq FGx® Sequencing System. Due to this acquisition, QIAGEN receives exclusive distribution rights for this version of the MiSeq sequencer designed exclusively for forensics applications.
So far, more than 300 MiSeq FGx Sequencing Systems have been placed, making a strong debut in this market segment. The Verogen portfolio of kits for use on this sequencer includes the ForenSeq suite of kits, consisting of the DNA Signature Prep, Kintelligence, Imagen, and MainstAY product lines, which provide forensics professionals with better answers to aid in the resolution of the most difficult unsolved cases.
Additionally, QIAGEN gains complete access to Verogen's leading GEDmatch database and GEDmatch PRO™ interface. GEDmatch, which presently has more than 1.8 million genealogical profiles, is continuously expanding and enabling users to upload genetic profiles created by other genealogy websites to broaden the search for familial connections. In addition, GEDmatch PRO™ is designed to assist law enforcement and forensic teams with investigative comparisons of data submitted by GEDmatch users with their consent.
About QIAGEN
QIAGEN is a leading worldwide provider of Sample to Insight solutions, which allow clients to get valuable molecular insights from samples containing biomolecules. Its sample technologies isolate and process RNA, DNA, and proteins from blood, tissue, and other materials. In addition, the assay technologies make these biomolecules visible and accessible for analysis.
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CELL AND GENE THERAPY, INDUSTRIAL IMPACT
GenScript | March 03, 2023
GenScript Biotech Corporation, a leading tools and services provider for life-science research, recently announced the expansion of its Singapore facility to provide a high-quality gene synthesis service. This expansion has added 976 square meters to the facility, bringing its total size to 3,500 square meters, making it the third-largest facility for GenScript globally. This development will also increase the staff at the Singapore facility to 150.
In February 2022, GenScript Asia-Pacific opened a recombinant protein production facility, which will now offer an advanced gene synthesis service. This expansion is a significant step towards GenScript's aim to provide top-notch services required for novel vaccine and therapeutic development in the life-sciences field.
The Singapore facility uses modernized, automated workstations that can synthesize more than 400 genes daily, ensuring precise measurement, eliminating human error, and providing a consistently high-quality product. The new facility's goal is to decrease project turnaround time for a more global mix of clients while maintaining customer data security. The new facility's capacity is dedicated to gene and cell therapy research and vaccine development programs.
GenScript's Life Science Group President, Dr. Ray Chen, commented, "We understand that global supply is a huge challenge, and we remain committed to expanding our reach to meet the increasing demand for our customers worldwide. At GenScript, we take great pride in our ability to provide reliable and efficient solutions to our customers, and we are fully committed to delivering on this promise. As we continue to expand our global footprint, we remain dedicated to providing the highest-quality products and services to our customers, wherever they may be located."
(Source – PR Newswire)
About GenScript
Founded in 2002, GenScript is a leading biotech firm. It has a global presence across the EU, North America, Greater China and Asia Pacific and has served more than 300,000 customers from over 160 countries and regions around the world. With more than 5,000 employees, it is dedicated to providing premier, convenient, and reliable products and services. The company strongly focuses on technology development, with over 100 patents and 270 patent applications in fields such as immunotherapy, synthetic biology, chemical synthesis, antibody design and bioinformatics. GenScript's products and services have been cited in 74,700 scientific papers worldwide as of June 2022. The company's vision is to become the most reliable biotech company in the world, working towards the betterment of human and environmental health through biotechnology.
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CELL AND GENE THERAPY, INDUSTRIAL IMPACT
Caris Life Sciences | March 09, 2023
Caris Life Sciences®, a leading molecular science and technology firm and Incyte Corporation have recently announced a strategic research partnership to advance precision medicine approaches for Incyte's oncology pipeline.
Caris' innovative technology integrates data from whole exome sequencing, protein analysis, whole transcriptome sequencing and proprietary AI models and signatures to enhance patient outcomes through personalized medicine development. The partnership will initially apply Caris' data and analytics tools, comprehensive molecular liquid and tissue profiling services, and clinical trial enrollment program capabilities spans two therapeutic programs, with the option to expand to four total programs.
Incyte will use Caris' data insights and analytics capabilities to uncover novel biomarkers and enhance clinical positioning strategies for its oncology initiatives. Patients enrolling in Incyte-led clinical trials will be subjected to longitudinal testing with Caris' comprehensive tissue and liquid molecular profiling tests for drug candidates developed as part of the agreement. Incyte will also use Caris' biomarker-driven patient selection for clinical trials, with the possibility of collaborating on creating companion diagnostics for the partnership's programs.
Caris Life Sciences President and Chief Scientific Officer David Spetzler, MS, Ph.D., MBA, commented, "This partnership with Incyte will leverage Caris' leading molecular science and technology solutions to support Incyte's oncology research and development efforts." He further emphasized, "The aggregate strength of our platform, which provides patient level DNA and RNA data both in tissue and blood, may help to better identify and predict patient response to therapy, which in turn may accelerate clinical trial enrollment, optimize clinical positioning and potentially enhance technical and regulatory success."
(Source – PR Newswire)
About Caris Life Sciences
Caris Life Sciences® is a leading molecular science firm that utilizes advanced technologies to revolutionize healthcare. Its suite of molecular profiling offerings, which assess RNA, DNA and proteins, enables patients, researchers and physicians to improve outcomes and save lives by revealing a molecular blueprint. Additionally, it is advancing precision medicine through the use of advanced AI and machine learning algorithms by utilizing its proprietary analytics engine, DEAN™, to develop a better understanding of the molecular mechanisms of cancer. This information helps physicians to better identify and predict patient response to therapy and supports researchers and biopharmaceutical companies in research development, clinical trials, and target identification. With headquarters in Irving, Texas, the company has offices in several locations worldwide, providing services throughout the US, Europe, Asia, and other international markets.
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