LONDON and SHANGHAI
and CAMBRIDGE, Massachusetts
and REYKJAVIK, Iceland, Nov.
12, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- Genomics England has today
announced that it has contracted with WuXi NextCODE as a Clinical
Interpretation Partner for the 100,000 Genomes Project. The
China, US and Iceland-based company is the first to work
with them on cancer samples and will also interpret samples in rare
disease. Genomics England will
work with the clinical interpretation partners to drive up the
quality of interpretation of genomic data. This will lead to better
understanding of disease and more personalised care for patients in
the future.
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The Project aims to sequence 100,000 whole genomes from
approximately 70,000 people. Participants are NHS patients with a
rare disease plus their families, and patients with cancer. The aim
is to create a new genomic medicine service for the NHS, leading to
more personalised care for patients. Some patients with rare
disease may get a diagnosis for the first time, or discover what
treatment might work best for them.
WuXi NextCODE's unique database model and clinical and tumor-normal
analysis and reporting systems will enable NHS clinicians to begin
to efficiently analyse patient sequence data and identify causative
variants in rare diseases and driver mutations in tumors.
Dr Augusto Rendon, Director of
Bioinformatics at Genomics England said: "We are delighted to be
working with WuXi NextCODE. Their sequence analysis platform will
help us to return high quality variant interpretation results back
to clinicians and make a direct impact on patient care."
Hannes Smarason, President and COO of WuXi NextCODE, a wholly owned
subsidiary of WuXi AppTec (NYSE: WX), said: "We are very pleased to
be playing a central role in a project that is a driving force for
precision medicine worldwide. We look forward to putting our
technology to work for NHS patients through interpretation and by
applying the knowledge gained to advance the development of
targeted new therapies for cancer and a range of rare
conditions."
About Genomics England
Genomics England is a company owned by the Department
of Health and was set up to deliver the 100,000 Genomes Project.
This flagship project will sequence 100,000 whole genomes
from NHS patients and their families by 2017.
Genomics England has four
main aims:
- to bring benefit to patients
- to create an ethical and transparent programme based on
consent
- to enable new scientific discovery and medical
insights
- to kickstart the development of a UK genomics
industry
The project is focusing on patients with rare diseases, and
their families, as well as patients with common cancers.
www.genomicsengland.co.uk
About WuXi NextCODE
WuXi NextCODE offers uniquely comprehensive and integrated
capabilities for using the genome to better diagnose disease and
create better medicine. These include a full range of sequencing
services through our CLIA-certified laboratory; the world's leading
genome sequence interpretation system; a novel database
architecture that makes it possible to query, manage, store and
share massive genomic data with unrivalled speed and efficiency;
and the know-how and experience to apply genomics to optimize every
aspect of drug discovery and development. With offices in
Shanghai; Cambridge, Massachusetts; and Reykjavik, we enable clinicians and
researchers at institutions and companies worldwide to use the full
power of the genome to diagnose, treat and prevent disease. WuXi
NextCODE is a wholly owned subsidiary of WuXi AppTec, the operating
subsidiaries of WuXi PharmaTech (NYSE: WX). WuXi AppTec comprises a
leading open-access R&D capability and technology platform
company serving the pharmaceutical, biotechnology, and medical
device industries, with operations in China and the United
States.
Contacts:
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Genomics England
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WuXi NextCODE
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Katrina Nevin-Ridley
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Edward Farmer
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Director of Communications
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VP Communications & New
Ventures
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katrina.nevin-ridley@genomicsengland.co.uk
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efarmer@wuxinextcode.com
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0207 882 6493/ +44 7973 481485
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+1 781 775 6206
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