CELL AND GENE THERAPY, INDUSTRIAL IMPACT
Oxford Nanopore Technologies | February 17, 2023
On February 16, 2023, Oxford Nanopore Technologies announced that it will be furthering its collaboration with UPS Healthcare to expedite the distribution of its Oxford Nanopore DNA/RNA sequencing products and consumables throughout the Asia Pacific region.
The collaborative effort will strengthen the supply chain for Oxford Nanopore's portable, real-time DNA sequencing devices in key markets across Asia. By leveraging the specialized healthcare logistics solutions provided by UPS, Oxford Nanopore will be able to provide its customers with faster delivery times, simplifying the entire process and reducing customer pain points. In addition, this development will enable Oxford Nanopore's customers to allocate more time and resources toward high-impact, time-sensitive genomics research, particularly in critical areas such as human disease, cancer, and agriculture.
Oxford Nanopore's flow cells will be stored at UPS Healthcare's temperature-controlled distribution facility in Singapore for the first time and will be delivered within 24 to 48 hours to destinations across the Asia Pacific via UPS's cold chain distribution capabilities. For time- and temperature-sensitive shipments, Oxford Nanopore, will additionally use UPS® Premier's premium, prioritization, tracking and recovery service.
The objective will be same-day dispatch and quicker delivery of flow cells, which are consumable cartridges that include the chemistry and technology required for nanopore-based sequencing and are used in tandem with Oxford Nanopore's product range.
Oxford Nanopore's investment in the Asia Pacific demonstrates the company's ongoing commitment to supporting the area's rising client base, with several genomics-led research projects prospering across region countries. They include translational cancer research, pathogen surveillance and agricultural sequencing, most notably to preserve Malaysian shrimp farming.
With more than 17 million square feet of cGMP and GDP-compliant healthcare distribution space worldwide, UPS Healthcare provides scientific communities with unrivaled healthcare logistics expertise.
After a fulfillment deal signed in 2022 that presently covers the United States and Canada, this is Oxford Nanopore's second region served by UPS Healthcare. Plans to expand the collaboration to other parts of the world, including Australia, are expected to be announced in 2023.
About Oxford Nanopore Technologies
Founded in 2005, Oxford Nanopore Technologies has made a significant breakthrough by creating the world's first and only platform for nanopore DNA and RNA sequencing. This new generation of sequencing technology offers numerous benefits, including the ability to scale to portable or ultra-high-throughput formats, real-time data delivery, and the ability to provide detailed biological data. By offering such innovative technology, Oxford Nanopore Technologies seeks to transform traditional biological analyses and explore new applications that can positively impact society. The company now has over 600 employees with expertise in a wide range of fields, including nanopore science, molecular biology and applications, informatics, engineering, electronics, manufacturing, and commercialization.
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MEDTECH, INDUSTRIAL IMPACT
QIAGEN | January 06, 2023
QIAGEN recently announced an exclusive strategic partnership with Helix, a California population genomics leader, to advance companion diagnostics for hereditary diseases.
The requirement for companion diagnostic devices and tests capable of detecting clinically relevant genetic abnormalities grows along with the accelerated development of precision medicines. These tests helps in making decisions by showing patients that are most likely to benefit from a specific therapeutic product or be at risk. Although companion diagnostics that use whole exome sequencing have primarily been used in oncology so far, they are widely believed to have a great deal of potential in hereditary disease areas like cardiovascular, metabolic, neurodegenerative, and auto-immune diseases.
According to the agreement, QIAGEN will be Helix’s exclusive marketing and contracting partner in the United States. This partnership will use the Helix® Laboratory Platform, the first whole exome sequencing platform, to get a de novo class II authorization from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.
As a leader in precision medicine, QIAGEN has more than 30 master partnership agreements with multinational pharma and biotech firms to develop and commercialize companion diagnostic tests for their drug candidates. Its companion diagnostic offerings include next-generation sequencing (NGS), polymerase chain reaction (PCR), and digital polymerase chain reaction (dPCR), sample types ranging from liquid biopsy to tissue, and disease areas such as cancer and Parkinson's, including 11 FDA-approved PCR-based companion diagnostics.
Helix has developed an end-to-end platform that enables health systems, life sciences firms, and payers to enhance genomic research and expedite the integration of genomic data into clinical care. It has teamed with major health systems to enable population genomics programs across the United States. These programs significantly improve the identification and recruitment of patients for clinical trials in hereditary diseases such as Parkinson's and cardiovascular or inflammatory diseases such as non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH).
About QIAGEN
QIAGEN is a leading provider of sample-to-insight solutions, enabling clients to get significant molecular insights from samples containing life's building elements. Its sample technologies are used to isolate and process DNA, RNA, and proteins from blood, tissue, and other materials. The company serves over 500,000 customers worldwide in molecular diagnostics (human healthcare) and life sciences (academia, pharma R&D, and industrial applications, primarily forensics).
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CELL AND GENE THERAPY, INDUSTRIAL IMPACT
ImmunoGen, Inc. | March 02, 2023
On March 1, 2023, ImmunoGen, Inc., a leading firm specializing in antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs), announced a global, multi-target license and option agreement with Vertex Pharmaceuticals. The deal provides Vertex with the rights to use ImmunoGen's ADC technology to research and discover targeted conditioning agents to be used in gene editing.
After each research period, Vertex will have the option to obtain an exclusive worldwide license to research, develop, and commercialize conditioning agents using ImmunoGen's technology for that target. ImmunoGen will hol full rights to the ADC technology for any targets not covered by the Vertex license.
Vertex will pay an upfront payment of $15 million as part of the agreement. In addition, ImmunoGen is eligible to receive up to $337 million in option exercise fees, development, and commercial milestone payments for each target. ImmunoGen will also receive tiered royalties as a percentage of worldwide commercial sales of licensed targeted conditioning agents by Vertex. Vertex will be responsible for all research, development, and commercialization costs.
ImmunoGen's Executive Vice President, Research, Development, and Medical Affairs, Michael Vasconcelles, MD, commented, "Given Vertex's extensive experience discovering and developing transformative medicines for patients with serious diseases, we are thrilled they have chosen to explore ImmunoGen's technology to develop ADCs for transplant conditioning in connection with gene editing." He further emphasized, "This agreement reflects our continued innovation in the ADC space and demonstrates the value of our technology platform and related intellectual property."
(Source – Business Wire)
About ImmunoGen, Inc.
ImmunoGen is dedicated to improving the lives of people with cancer by developing precise, targeted cancer therapies. Its lead product candidate is a first-in-class ADC called mirvetuximab soravtansine, which targets folate receptor alpha (FRα) and is being studied in multiple ovarian cancer trials. The company's second program, IMGN632, is a CD123-targeting ADC being studied for the treatment of BPDCN and AML. ImmunoGen is also developing two earlier-stage assets: IMGC936, an ADAM9-targeting ADC co-developed with MacroGenics, and IMGN151, a next-generation anti-folate receptor alpha ADC. The company aims to keep cancer from disrupting people's lives and get them back to living today, tomorrow, and beyond.
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