Personal Genome Diagnostics Inc. licenses genome-mapping technology
Personal Genome Diagnostics Inc. has licensed exclusive rights to Digital Karyotyping technology for cancer genome analysis, developed at John Hopkins University.
Genome-mapping service provider Personal Genome Diagnostics Inc. (PGDx; MD, USA), has recently licensed Digital Karyotyping (DK) technology with the aim to expand its growing enterprise. The company, co-founded by Victor Velculescu and Luiz Diaz from the John Hopkins University School of Medicine (MD, USA), has licenced rights to the proprietary methods for the study of cancer genomics, based on next-generation sequencing.
The company has also announced the expansion of their facilities and the hiring of Genzyme oncology executive, Antony Newton, as Chief Commercial Officer. According to Newton, “At PGDx, we are fortunate to be able to bring the latest advances in cancer genomics such as DK to cancer researchers around the globe.” He added, “This is an exciting time for cancer genomics, and we expect to be announcing a number of collaborations and partnerships in the coming months as we bring our advanced capabilities to the many researchers and drug developers who are rapidly advancing the field.”
The company plans to use its CLIA-certified laboratory and genomic expertise to provide information on tumor-specific mutations to cancer patients and their physicians. Newton stated, “As the utility of cancer genomics evolves, we are considering a number of options for expanding our ability to serve the growing demand for patient-specific analyses that can help inform treatment decisions.”
The patented DK technology will allow quantitative analysis of DNA at high resolution and sensitivity, allowing for the identification of changes in the chromosome, such as amplification and deletion, which result in cancer. To date, DK discoveries have included the identification of gene amplification of the therapeutically targetable OTX2 gene in medulloblastoma and the detection of thymidylate synthase amplification in colorectal cancer that results in chemotherapy resistance.
