Category Archives: Genome

Dublin, March 15, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The "North America Digital Genome Market 2021-2028" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering.

North America market for digital genome is expected to rise with a CAGR of 9.75%

The United States dominates North America's genome editing market. The high rate of adoption of advanced technology, the presence of big industry names, high funds for genomic research are all factors attributable to the major share of the country in this market.

Further, extensive research activities in genomics, gene editing, cell line culture, and modification are being conducted, which is boosting the market growth in the US. Several globally-renowned manufacturers of DNA sequencing technologies, equipment, and platforms are active in the US.

For instance, several prominent names in the DNA sequencing industry, such as Thermo Fisher Scientific, Illumina, and others have their corporate presence in the nation, and the enhanced adoption of DNA sequencing has led to a rise in the creation of genomic databases like Ensembl Human Genome Server, UCSC Human Genome Browser Gateway, and others. These factors are projected to drive the digital genome market in the US.

In addition, factors like growing awareness of DNA sequencing, and its applications in different fields, including personalized medicine, clinical diseases, agri-genomics, and others, are contributing to market progress.

COMPETITIVE OUTLOOK

Some of the companies present in this market include Oxford Nanopore Technologies Ltd, Inscripta, Agilent Technologies Inc., Bio-Rad Laboratories Inc., Becton Dickinson and Company (BD), Pacific Bioscience, and Abbott Laboratories.

Key Topics Covered:

1. North America Digital Genome Market - Summary

2. Industry Outlook2.1. Porter's Five Forces Model2.2. Impact of Covid-19 on Digital Genome Market2.3. Market Attractiveness Index2.4. Vendor Landscape2.5. Key Insights2.6. Key Drivers2.6.1. Proliferating Burden of Chronic Diseases2.6.2. Continuous Funding by the Manufacturers and Government in the Field of Genomics2.7. Key Restraints2.7.1. Security Risks Associated With Digital Genome2.7.2. Lack of Skilled Professionals in the Field of Genome Technology2.8. Key Opportunities2.8.1. Technological Advancements2.8.2. Prevailing Awareness in the Developing Economies Regarding Dna Sequencing Technologies

3. Digital Genome Market Outlook - by Product3.1. Sequencing and Analyzer Instruments3.2. Dna/Rna Analysis3.3. Sequencing and Analysis Software3.4. Sequencing Chips3.5. Sample Prep Instruments

4. Digital Genome Market Outlook - by Application4.1. Diagnostics4.2. Drug Discovery4.3. Academic Research4.4. Personalized Medicine4.5. Agricultural4.6. Other Applications

5. Digital Genome Market Outlook - by End-User5.1. Diagnostics and Forensic Labs5.2. Academic Research Institutes5.3. Hospitals5.4. Other End-Users

6. Digital Genome Market - North America6.1. Country Analysis6.1.1. The United States6.1.2. Canada

7. Company Profile7.1. Qiagen Nv7.2. Oxford Nanopore Technologies Ltd7.3. Becton, Dickinson, and Company (Bd)7.4. Illumina Inc7.5. Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc7.6. Pacific Bioscience7.7. Bio-Rad Laboratories Inc7.8. F. Hoffmann-La Roche7.9. Perkinelmer Inc7.10. Regeneron Pharmaceuticals7.11. Biomerieux Sa7.12. Abbott Laboratories7.13. Agilent Technologies Inc.7.14. Inscripta

8. Research Methodology & Scope

Companies Mentioned

For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/jweemt

See the original post here:
North America Digital Genome Market Report 2021: Continuous Funding by the Manufacturers and Government in the Field of Genomics - Forecast to 2028 -...

BMC Med Genomics. 2021 Mar 18;14(1):84. doi: 10.1186/s12920-021-00907-0.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Recent studies have identified susceptibility genes of HBV clearance, chronic hepatitis B, liver cirrhosis, hepatocellular carcinoma, and showed the host genetic factors play an important role in these HBV-related outcomes.

METHODS: Collected samples from different outcomes of HBV infection and performed genotyping by Affymetrix 500 k SNP Array. GCTA tool, PLINK, and Bonferroni method were applied for analysis of genotyping and disease progression. ANOVA was used to evaluate the significance of the association between biomarkers and genotypes in healthy controls. PoMo, FST, Vcftools and Rehh package were used for building the racial tree and population analysis. FST statistics accesses 0.15 was used as a threshold to detect the signature of selection.

RESULTS: There are 1031 participants passed quality control from 1104 participants, including 275 HBV clearance, 92 asymptomatic persistence infection (ASPI), 93 chronic hepatitis B (CHB), 188 HBV-related decompensated cirrhosis (DC), 214 HBV-related hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and 169 healthy controls (HC). In the case-control study, one novel locus significantly associated with CHB (SNP: rs1264473, Gene: GRHL2, P = 1.57 10-6) and HCC (SNP: rs2833856, Gene: EVA1C, P = 1.62 10-6; SNP: rs4661093, Gene: ETV3, P = 2.26 10-6). In the trend study across progressive stages post HBV infection, one novel locus (SNP: rs1537862, Gene: LACE1, P = 1.85 10-6), and three MHC loci (HLA-DRB1, HLA-DPB1, HLA-DPA2) showed significant increased progressive risk from ASPI to CHB. Underlying the evolutionary study of HBV-related genes in public database, the derived allele of two HBV clearance related loci, rs3077 and rs9277542, are under strong selection in European population.

CONCLUSIONS: In this study, we identified several novel candidate genes associated with individual HBV infectious outcomes, progressive stages, and liver enzymes. Two SNPs that show selective significance (HLA-DPA1, HLA-DPB1) in non-East Asian (European, American, South Asian) versus East Asian, indicating that host genetic factors contribute to the ethnic disparities of susceptibility of HBV infection. Taken together, these findings provided a new insight into the role of host genetic factors in HBV related outcomes and progression.

PMID:33736632 | DOI:10.1186/s12920-021-00907-0

Link:
Genome-wide association study identifies new loci associated with risk of HBV infection and disease progression - DocWire News

(Reuters) Regularboostervaccinesagainst the novel coronavirus will be needed because of mutations that make it more transmissible and better able to evade human immunity, the head of Britains effort to sequence the viruss genomes told Reuters.

The novel coronavirus, which has killed 2.65 million people globally since it emerged in China in late 2019, mutates around once every two weeks, slower than influenza or HIV, but enough to require tweaks tovaccines.

Sharon Peacock, who heads COVID-19 Genomics UK (COG-UK) which has sequenced nearly half of all the novel coronavirus genomes so far mapped globally, said international cooperation was needed in the cat and mouse battle with the virus.

We have to appreciate that we were always going to have to haveboosterdoses; immunity to coronavirus doesnt last forever, Peacock told Reuters at the non-profit Wellcome Sanger Institutes 55-acre campus outside Cambridge.

We already are tweaking thevaccinesto deal with what the virus is doing in terms of evolution so there are variants arising that have a combination of increased transmissibility and an ability to partially evade our immune response, she said.

Peacock said she was confidentregularboostershots such as for influenza would be needed to deal with future variants but that the speed of vaccine innovation meant those shots could be developed at pace and rolled out to the population.

COG-UK was set up by Peacock, a professor at Cambridge, exactly a year ago with the help of the Britishs governments chief scientific adviser, Patrick Vallance, as the virus spread across the globe to Britain.

The consortium of public health and academic institutions is now the worlds deepest pool of knowledge about the viruss genetics: At sites across Britain, it has sequenced 349,205 genomes of the virus out of a global effort of around 778,000 genomes.

On the intellectual frontline at the Wellcome Sanger Institute, hundreds of scientists many with PhDs, many working on a voluntary basis and some listening to heavy metal or electronic beats work seven days a week to map the viruss growing family tree for patterns of concern.

Wellcome Sanger Institute has sequenced over half of the UK total sequenced genomes of the virus after processing 19 million samples from PCR tests in a year. COG-UK is sequencing around 30,000 genomes per week more than the UK used to do in a year.

Three main coronavirus variants which were first identified in Britain (known as B.1.1.7), Brazil (known as P1)and South Africa (known as B.1.351) are under particular scrutiny.

Peacock said she was most worried about B.1.351.

It is more transmissible, but it also has a change in a gene mutation, which we refer to as E484K, which is associated with reduced immunity so our immunity is reduced against that virus, Peacock said.

With 120 million cases of COVID-19 around the world, it is getting hard to keep track of all the alphabet soup of variants, so Peacocks teams are thinking in terms of constellations of mutations.

So a constellation of mutations would be like a leaderboard if you like which mutations in the genome that were particularly concerned about, the E484K is must be one of the top of the leaderboard, she said.

So were developing our thinking around that leaderboard to think, regardless of the background and lineage, about what mutations or constellation of mutations are going to be important biologically and different combinations that may have slightly different biological effects.

Peacock, though, warned of humility in the face of a virus that has brought so much death and economic destruction.

One of the things that the virus has taught me is that I can be wrong quiteregularly I have to be quite humble in the face of a virus that we know very little about still, she said.

There may be a variant out there that we havent even discovered yet.

There will, though, be future pandemics.

I think its inevitable that we will have another virus emerge that is of concern. What I hope is that having learned what we have in this global pandemic, that we will be better prepared to detect it and contain it.

Reporting by Guy Faulconbridge; Editing by Kate Holton and Philippa Fletcher 2021 Thomson Reuters.

Originally posted here:
Regular booster vaccines are the future in battle with COVID-19, top genome expert says - WREG NewsChannel 3

CAMBRIDGE, England--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Please replace the release dated March 16, 2021 with the following corrected version due to multiple revisions.

The updated release reads:

ONCOLOGICA IS THE FIRST UK GENOMIC TESTING LAB TO BE GOVERNMENT APPROVED FOR DAY 2 AND DAY 8 TESTING

Oncologica, the world-leading cancer medicine and Covid-19 genomic sequencing laboratory is pleased to announce that its Cambridge based testing laboratory is now the first UK laboratory to receive approval by UKAS and the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) to perform Covid PCR testing requirements for day 2 and day 8 as part of the new requirements for Covid International travel certification.

The high throughput laboratory which can process up-to 40,000 Covid-19 tests per day, has undergone a rigorous audit process by the DHSC and UKAS inspectors of its Oncology and Covid-19 PCR genomic testing processes for their personalized cancer medicine and Covid-19 PCR testing /viral genomic sequencing services. These testing capabilities will expedite the UKs return to work and mitigate the risk of superspreading Covid-19 variants in the population. Their state-of-the-art precision cancer medicine genomic profiling services are providing cancer patients with new therapeutic opportunities should standard treatment protocols such as chemotherapy prove inadequate.

Assessments were made of the laboratorys patient sample collection process, interpretation of results methodologies, turnaround times, as well as an inspection of how the company educates and trains its medical laboratory scientists and clinicians and how the organization communicates and consults with health care professionals.

As of February 15th, 2021, all international travellers to the UK from red list countries are required to quarantine for 10 days and undergo a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) Covid-19 test, this is the gold standard for coronavirus detection. On days 2 and 8, if the traveller tests positive, then the sample must be sent to a government-approved lab for genomic sequencing. This is to alert health professionals to potential superspreading coronavirus variants e.g., the UK Kent, Brazilian and South African variants

It is an honour to be the first UK laboratory Covid PCR test and release provider to achieve accreditation for our Covid-19 International travel testing service. At Oncologica, we are committed to achieving and maintaining the highest standard of quality and service in all aspects of our laboratory testing, said Dr Marco Loddo, Co-Founder and Scientific Director at Oncologica.

This commitment is underpinned by the hard work of our entire quality, bioscience and administration teams which has resulted in our achieving this approval.

We are immensely proud of Oncologica achieving government approval as the first UK genomic testing laboratory in the UK to be put on the Governments provider list to undertake day 2 and day 8 Covid-19 PCR testing for travel which is no mean feat. said Professor Gareth Williams, Co-Founder and Medical Director at Oncologica.

We are committed to providing a first-class genetic testing service to all of our clinical partners, patients, business community and the general public, and we demonstrate the highest quality standards whether it is for improving cancer treatment opportunities for patients or for Covid-19 testing across the community. Covid-19 testing is presently being undertaken for businesses, offices, factories, educational institutions, and transport networks facilitating a safe return to work and enabling people to travel."

On receipt of our Coronafocus self-sampling PCR kits, we extract the RNA genetic material out of the sample and copy it into DNA. Now if the virus is there, it is in a DNA form. We put it into a PCR reaction (Polymerase Chain Reaction) and take short snippets of DNA and match these to the virus DNA. If we find the virus DNA, we start a chemical reaction that copies the virus again and again, so that we have lots of copies. We then look at the sample copies. If there is no reaction, then no virus is detected. The Oncologica Covid-19 PCR test is very sensitive and specific. If the Oncologica test finds it, you can believe it.

We understand the importance of our medical genomic laboratory to patient care. Therefore, for those who use our Oncofocus cancer and Coronafocus Covid PCR tests, this accreditation will give added assurance that their testing requirements will be performed to the highest standards for rapid and accurate results, added Dr. Marco Loddo. Read more at https://covid19.oncologica.com/coronafocus-day2-day8/

About Oncologica

Oncologica is a world leading precision cancer medicine and Covid-19 testing and genomic sequencing laboratory based in Cambridge, UK. Our personalised cancer DNA profiling is used to precisely identify the most appropriate clinical targeted therapies and/or immunotherapies which can be used to treat patients as an alternative to chemotherapy.

Our molecular Next Generation Sequencing capabilities are used to sequence tumour DNA and to also sequence Covid-19/ SARS-CoV-2 for virus mutations. SARS-CoV-2 testing, and sequencing is being used to identify high risk Covid-19 variants which can potentially bypass the vaccine. Oncologicas comprehensive NGS DNA profiling covering 505 genes with linkage to over 750 targeted therapies provide patients and clinicians with detailed genomic blueprints that optimize therapy choices, improve outcomes, and helps avoid treatment with drugs unlikely to be of benefit.

Oncologica also undertakes Contract Research supporting biomarker development programmes, clinical trials, and the validation of new diagnostic testing platforms. Our in-house R&D activities focus on the development of novel cancer genomic based diagnostic and therapeutic approaches directed at specific tumour gene mutations or aberrant cancer pathways.

Our government approved Oncofocus and Coronofocus laboratory tests are used by state healthcare providers and the private sector including businesses, factories, healthcare providers, transport, and educational institutions. Personalised genomic data is helping to empower patients and clinicians to increase treatment efficacy and improve human health.

Oncologica UK Ltd, Suite 2, The Newnham Building, Chesterford Research Park, CAMBRIDGE UK CB10 1XL

http://www.oncologica.com

See the article here:
CORRECTING and REPLACING Oncologica is the First UK Genomic Testing Lab to Be Government Approved for Day 2 and Day 8 Testing - Business Wire

Written by MAYURA JANWALKAR, Edited by Explained Desk | Panaji | Updated: March 16, 2021 1:39:45 pm

A 30-member team of scientists and researchers from the National Institute of Oceanography (NIO) in Panaji and another 30 crew members onboard its research vessel Sindhu Sadhana will spend the next three months traversing the course of over 10,000 nautical miles in the Indian Ocean on a research project to reveal the internal working of the body of the ocean at a cellular level.

The first-of-its-kind research project in the country is aimed at understanding the biochemistry and the response of the ocean to climate change, nutrient stress and increasing pollution. Conceptualised over the last two to three years, the research project has been undertaken at a cost of Rs 25 crore and will take three years to complete, NIO Director Sunil Kumar Singh said.

Newsletter | Click to get the days best explainers in your inbox

The research project that will be flagged off at Visakhapatnam on Thursday will see the team of 30 scientists and researchers including six women course the Indian Ocean from Indias east coast, all the way to Australia, then onward towards Port Louis in Mauritius and up to the border of Pakistan, off Indias west coast, gathering samples for genome mapping of microorganisms in the Indian Ocean. The researchers will collect samples from various stretches of the ocean at an average depth of about 5 km.

Just like gene mapping is carried out on blood samples collected from humans, the scientists will map these in the bacteria, microbes found in the ocean. The mapping of the Deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) and Ribonucleic acid (RNA) will show the nutrients present in them, and also those lacking in different parts of the ocean.

NIO Director Sunil Kumar Singh explained that this will help scientists understand the internal working of the ecosystem of the Indian Ocean. The research will enable scientists to identify the factors controlling the changes in RNA, DNA in the oceans, and various stressors impacting them. The ocean has several micronutrients like nitrates, sulphates and silicates, minerals like iron ore and zinc, and trace metals like cadmium or copper. The genome mapping will show the presence of which these microbes have adapted to, in addition to their reaction to atmospheric carbon dioxide. This will help in identifying which part of the ocean has a greater concentration of which mineral or element.

Scientists will then use these as tracers to tackle the causative factors for excess or lack of a certain mineral or element and suggest possible solutions for their mitigation. In addition, the large pool of RNA, DNA library of the oceans will be utilised for using the Indian Ocean to human benefit in the future.

According to the NIO, rapid advances in sequencing technologies and bioinformatics have enabled exploration of the ocean genome. Exploring the ocean genome will enable an increase in the growing number of commercial biotechnology applications, extending from multiple anticancer treatments to cosmetics and industrial enzymes, to antiviral molecules Exploration of the ocean at a genetic level will result in new insights into taxonomy and adaptive capacity that can help optimize conservation efforts, the NIO stated in its project abstract.

What is the objective of studying the interactions of trace metals and marine plant and animal life?

Trace metals like cadmium or copper are supplied to oceans via continental run-offs, atmospheric deposition, hydrothermal activities and continental shelf interaction. They are essential for ocean productivity. Scientists say that it is important to understand the interactions of trace metals with marine biota for having a holistic understanding about nutrient cycling and productivity of the oceans. Apart from their reactions on marine life, isotopic forms of trace metals can be utilised to track the movement of water masses responsible for ocean circulation and as tools to study the biological, geochemical and ecosystem processes and food web analyses. The NIOs project is expected to generate new information about trace metals from underexplored regions of the Indian Ocean, the third largest water body in the world, covering about 20 per cent of the Earths water surface.

How will the scientists collect the samples?

The team of scientists will stay aboard their research vessel for about 90 days with refueling scheduled at Mauritius. The route is from Visakhapatnam to the mouth of the Ganga then down the ocean to Australia, then westward to Mauritius and up to the Pakistan border. At various stages and stretches, samples will be collected by lowering a Kevlar cable of up to 8 km with a set of 24 teflon coated bottles to collect samples. They have a capacity of 12 litres. The Kevler cable and the Teflon coating are to ensure that metals are not inadvertently introduced into the water by the vessel itself. The samples will be collected and the bacteria will be stored at -60 degrees Celsius with the help of liquid nitrogen. While some samples will be tested at six laboratories on board the vessel, several samples will be brought back to NIO for study and analysis over the next three years.

Excerpt from:
Explained: What NIO scientists mapping genomes in the Indian Ocean hope to learn - The Indian Express

Imagine a world where disease can be quickly identified through genetic analysis.

Once considered the stuff of science fiction, genomic sequencing is now emerging to the forefront as a valuable means to identify and quite possibly, predict disease.

Genomic sequencing is an invaluable diagnostic tool for patients with rare genetic diseases. However, in the past, limited access, cost, and the understanding of its usefulness have been major challenges. As genomic testing has now become more available and affordable, it has made the uncovering of rare diseases, as well as the genetic potential for disease, an easier process.

In 2017, the Alabama Genomic Health Initiative (AGHI) was launched to address barriers to understanding genomics. It is one of the nations first state-funded efforts to harness the power of genomic analysis in finding answers for children and adults with undiagnosed medical challenges and adults who may have a high risk for developing certain diseases.

A collaborative effort among the University of Alabama at Birmingham, HudsonAlpha Institute for Biotechnology, and the state of Alabama, AGHI is led by Drs. Bruce Korf and Matthew Might of UAB and Dr. Greg Barsh of HudsonAlpha.

AGHI provides genomic testing, interpretation, and counseling free of charge to Alabama residents. The goal of the program is to engage at least 10,000 Alabamians in genetic testing, while educating participants about their genomic health.

AGHI is helping to improve patient care, not only by providing diagnoses, but also by giving the general public a foundational understanding of the importance and value of being informed about their genomic health, said Barsh. Through the AGHI platform we are able to provide an invaluable opportunity to physicians and geneticists to confirm or identify a diagnosis that has gone undiagnosed despite a vast array of previous medical testing.

The initial AGHI study results were recently published in Genetics in Medicine. The information reflects the first 176 rare disease participants and 5,369 participants in the first screening group.

Participants were recruited statewide. Each participant provided a blood sample, along with their personal and family health histories.

Two distinct groups of participants were identified: children and adults with undiagnosed rare diseases, and adults in the general population that did not have a personal or family history suggesting a genetic condition.

Participants in the rare disease group received genome sequencing, which evaluates a group of variants that are known to increase the likelihood of disease. The general population group received a genotyping test, a test that assesses each letter of a participants genetic code.

Of the 176 affected individuals in the rare disease group, thirty-five (19.9 percent) received a pathogenic or likely pathogenic result, indicating that a genetic variant was identified and thought to contribute to disease. Forty-two participants (23.9 percent) received an uncertain result, suggesting that a found genetic variant might have the potential to contribute to disease.

All participants received a report summarizing the results of their tests. Individuals whose results include actionable findings received genetic counseling and a referral to appropriate medical care.

Understanding the results and the implications associated with the findings are crucial for participants, as well as for their families. In some instances, the new genetic information might help physicians to make a diagnosis for a disease that has been yet undiscovered for months or years.

Being able to provide answers to individuals and their families who have been impacted by rare disease who may not have been able to otherwise access genome sequencing is one of the crowning achievements of AGHI to date, said co-author Kelly East, a genetic counselor at HudsonAlpha. We hope that the AGHI model can help inform similar programs elsewhere to give more communities awareness of and access to genomic testing.

For more information, visit hudsonalpha.org.

See original here:
The Alabama Genomic Health Initiative: Knowledge is Power - Huntsville Business Journal

Epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG), a polyphenol found in the leaves of green tea (Camellia sinensis), may increase levels of the natural anti-cancer protein p53, often referred to as the guardian of the genome, according to a new study led by Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute scientists.

Zhao et al. provide insights into the mechanisms for EGCGs anticancer activity and identifies p53 N-terminal domain as a target for cancer drug discovery through dynamic interactions with small molecules. Image credit: Sci-News.com.

Green tea, a popular beverage consumed worldwide, has been reported to have inhibitory effects against various types of cancer, such as breast, lung, prostate, and colon cancer.

Most of the chemo-preventive effects of green tea on cancer are attributed to polyphenol compounds, among which EGCG is the most important.

EGCG accounts for 50-80% of the catechin in green tea. There is 200-300mg of EGCG in a brewed cup (240mL) of green tea.

P53 has several well-known anti-cancer functions, including halting cell growth to allow for DNA repair, activating DNA repair, and initiating apoptosis if DNA damage cannot be repaired.

One end of the protein, known as the N-terminal domain, has a flexible shape, and therefore, can potentially serve several functions depending on its interaction with multiple molecules.

Both p53 and EGCG molecules are extremely interesting, said Rensselaer Polytechnic Institutes Professor Chunyu Wang.

Mutations in p53 are found in over 50% of human cancer, while EGCG is the major anti-oxidant in green tea, a popular beverage worldwide.

Now we find that there is a previously unknown, direct interaction between the two, which points to a new path for developing anti-cancer drugs.

Our work helps to explain how EGCG is able to boost p53s anti-cancer activity, opening the door to developing drugs with EGCG-like compounds.

Professor Wang and colleagues found that the interaction between EGCG and p53 preserves the protein from degradation.

Typically, after being produced within the body, p53 is quickly degraded when the N-terminal domain interacts with a protein called MDM2.

This regular cycle of production and degradation holds p53 levels at a low constant.

Both EGCG and MDM2 bind at the same place on p53, the N-terminal domain, so EGCG competes with MDM2, Professor Wang said.

When EGCG binds with p53, the protein is not being degraded through MDM2, so the level of p53 will increase with the direct interaction with EGCG, and that means there is more p53 for anti-cancer function. This is a very important interaction.

The study was published in the journal Nature Communications.

_____

J. Zhao et al. 2021. EGCG binds intrinsically disordered N-terminal domain of p53 and disrupts p53-MDM2 interaction. Nat Commun 12, 986; doi: 10.1038/s41467-021-21258-5

Read more:
Green Tea Compound Stabilizes 'Guardian of the Genome' Protein | Medicine - Sci-News.com

'); $("#expandable-weather-block .modal-body #mrd-alert"+ alertCount).append(""+val.title+""); // if (window.location.hostname == "www.kmov.com" || window.location.hostname == "www.kctv5.com" || window.location.hostname == "www.azfamily.com" || window.location.hostname == "www.kptv.com" || window.location.hostname == "www.fox5vegas.com" || window.location.hostname == "www.wfsb.com") { if (val.poly != "" && val.polyimg != "") { $("#expandable-weather-block .modal-body #mrd-alert"+ alertCount).append('"+val.ihtml+""); $("#expandable-weather-block .weather-index-alerts").show(); $("#expandable-weather-block .modal-body h2").css({"font-family":"'Fira Sans', sans-serif", "font-weight":"500", "padding-bottom":"10px"}); $("#expandable-weather-block .modal-body p").css({"font-size":"14px", "line-height":"24px"}); $("#expandable-weather-block .modal-body span.wxalertnum").css({"float":"left", "width":"40px", "height":"40px", "color":"#ffffff", "line-height":"40px", "background-color":"#888888", "border-radius":"40px", "text-align":"center", "margin-right":"12px"}); $("#expandable-weather-block .modal-body b").css("font-size", "18px"); $("#expandable-weather-block .modal-body li").css({"font-size":"14px", "line-height":"18px", "margin-bottom":"10px"}); $("#expandable-weather-block .modal-body ul").css({"margin-bottom":"24px"}); $("#expandable-weather-block .modal-body pre").css({"margin-bottom":"24px"}); $("#expandable-weather-block .modal-body img").css({"width":"100%", "margin-bottom":"20px", "borderWidth":"1px", "border-style":"solid", "border-color":"#aaaaaa"}); $("#expandable-weather-block .modal-body #mrd-alert"+ alertCount).css({"borderWidth":"0", "border-bottom-width":"1px", "border-style":"dashed", "border-color":"#aaaaaa", "padding-bottom":"10px", "margin-bottom":"40px"}); }); } function parseAlertJSON(json) { console.log(json); alertCount = 0; if (Object.keys(json.alerts).length > 0) { $("#mrd-wx-alerts .modal-body ").empty(); } $.each(json.alerts, function(key, val) { alertCount++; $("#mrd-wx-alerts .alert_count").text(alertCount); $("#mrd-wx-alerts .modal-body ").append(''); $("#mrd-wx-alerts .modal-body #mrd-alert"+ alertCount).append(""+val.title+""); // if (window.location.hostname == "www.kmov.com" || window.location.hostname == "www.kctv5.com" || window.location.hostname == "www.azfamily.com" || window.location.hostname == "www.kptv.com" || window.location.hostname == "www.fox5vegas.com" || window.location.hostname == "www.wfsb.com") { if (val.poly != "" && val.polyimg != "") { $("#mrd-wx-alerts .modal-body #mrd-alert"+ alertCount).append(''); } else if (val.fips != "" && val.fipsimg != "") { // $("#mrd-wx-alerts .modal-body #mrd-alert"+ alertCount).append(''); } // } //val.instr = val.instr.replace(/[W_]+/g," "); $("#mrd-wx-alerts .modal-body #mrd-alert"+ alertCount).append(val.dhtml+"

Instruction

Link:
WEEKENDS AT THE SCIENCE CENTER: Genome in Me - WFSB

Ensoma emerges with Series A funding and a collaboration deal with Takeda for its vector-delivered treatments.

Ensoma was backed in its Series A financing by 5AM Ventures and Takeda, amongst other investors, with $70 million (57 million).

Takedas investment occurs alongside an exclusive worldwide license to develop Ensomas Engenious vectors for up to five rare disease indications.

Image: iStock/yekorzh

The agreement includes a potential $100 million investment in upfront and preclinical research payments. Should the candidates progress past the preclinical stage, Ensoma is in line to receive up to $1.25 billion in additional development and commercialization milestones.

At the heart of the deal are Ensomas vectors, which the company states are designed to deliver genome modification technologies, such as genome editing through CRISPR/Cas9 or zinc finger nuclease.

This would allow Ensomas vectors to potentially treat rare monogenic diseases but, according to the company, also the possibility for broader disease indications in oncology or infectious diseases.

The vectors are engineered adenovirus vectors that do not contain any viral genome, allowing for storage space to deliver therapeutic cargo.

A spokesperson for Ensoma confirmed that it is currently working with unspecified contract manufacturing partners but that there are plans to bring manufacturing inhouse.

We are launching with significant process development and manufacturing expertise, the spokesperson added.

The company arrives with a chief technology officer in Daniel Leblanc, who previously led manufacturing, analytical development and drug product development for Flexion Therapeutics, a company developing an adenovirus-based gene therapy.

Regarding the complexity of producing Engenious vectors, the spokesperson stated that the process is much simpler and scalable compared to adeno-associated virus and lentiviral vector manufacturing.

Executive chairman of Ensoma, Paula Soteropoulos, announced on the companys launch that the plan is to deliver any treatments off-the-shelf, as no stem cell donors are required in their production and with no prior conditioning needing to take place.

The conditioning refers to patients who receive certain ex vivo gene therapy via lentiviral vectors undergoing chemotherapy prior to delivery.

Ensoma plans to administer its therapies through a single injection, potentially allowing the treatment to be delivered where access to sophisticated healthcare systems may be limited, the company states.

In terms of the next steps for the company, the spokesperson outlined that the Series A financing would allow the company to reach the investigational new drug (IND)-candidate nomination stage before it would need to raise additional equity. Ensoma plans to advance its own internal programs alongside those developed with Takeda.

Read more from the original source:
Ensoma launches to deliver off-the-shelf genomics - BioProcess Insider - BioProcess Insider

TBINGEN, Germany--(BUSINESS WIRE)--February 19, 2021 -- Illumina, Inc. (Nasdaq: ILMN) today announced an agreement with the Institute of Medical Genetics and Applied Genomics at the University Hospital of Tbingen to assess the value of whole-genome sequencing (WGS) as a first-line diagnostic test for patients with genetic diseases and familial cancer syndromes. Illumina will support the new investigator-initiated study, called the Ge-Med Project, with sequencing, analysis and health economic expertise.

The Institute is the first laboratory in Germany accredited to perform clinical WGS. Previously, it used whole exome sequencing for the diagnosis of rare disease conditions which involves sequencing only around 1% of the genome known to contain the coding regions that provide instructions for making proteins.

The move to WGS is based on a two-year feasibility study by the Institute, supported by Illumina, which found that WGS provided improved diagnosis across a range of rare diseases. For example, as many as 75% of genetic eye diseases were accurately diagnosed using WGS, including some forms of disease that could only be identified by sequencing the entire genome. Similar results were found for rare childhood cancers and for conditions that cause developmental delay in children.

In addition to expanding the range of conditions for diagnosis, the new study will examine the ability of WGS to generate scores for the risk of common diseases based on genomic data. Known as a polygenic risk score, this will help identify individuals that may benefit from personalized healthcare management.

We are delighted to be able to study whole genome sequencing as a diagnostic in an expanded range of conditions because we have demonstrated that it changes the management of patients who previously remained unresolved after whole exome and other sequencing approaches, said Tobias Haack, Head of Molecular Diagnostics at the Institute of Medical Genetics and Applied Genomics, University Hospital of Tbingen.

We are proud to support the University Hospital of Tbingen on this important step in their genomic work, said Dr. Phil Febbo, Chief Medical Officer, Illumina. Offering a clear diagnosis as well as disease risk for common conditions will give patients peace of mind and offer actionable steps to improve their overall health.

Professor Olaf Rie said, We know that the exome isnt the whole story when looking for answers to rare diseases and we have proven the value that WGS brings to families who otherwise would wait years for a diagnosis, or may never even receive one. Through the new study, we hope to help Germany lead the way in applying cutting edge genomics to improve healthcare.

About Illumina

Illumina is improving human health by unlocking the power of the genome. Our focus on innovation has established us as the global leader in DNA sequencing and array-based technologies, serving customers in the research, clinical, and applied markets. Our products are used for applications in the life sciences, oncology, reproductive health, agriculture, and other emerging segments. To learn more, visit http://www.illumina.com and connect with us on Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram, and YouTube.

Continued here:
Illumina and the University Hospital of Tbingen Evaluate Potential of Whole Genome Sequencing to Improve Diagnosis of Full Range of Genetic Diseases -...