Genomics plc & DNAnexus Collaborate to Develop Solutions for Population-Scale Sequencing Analysis

Genomics plc recently announced it has entered into a research collaboration with DNAnexus, the global leader in cloud-based genome informatics and data management. The companies will work together to improve researchers’ ability to analyze population-scale sequencing data.

With DNA sequencing costs continuing to fall, sequencing projects involving tens or hundreds of thousands of people are becoming increasingly common. Such projects include Genomics England’s 100,000 Genomes Project, and the Regeneron Genetics Center and Geisinger Health DiscovEHR collaboration, which is the largest private-sector sequencing effort to-date, with the goal of sequencing exomes of 250,000 individuals. At present, there is a variety of informatics challenges facing such projects – from optimizing and improving existing analytical workflows, to large-scale statistical analysis of cohort data, where linking genome sequencing to parameters of health and disease can be limited by differences in the way samples are sequenced and analyzed. Genomics plc and DNAnexus are addressing these limitations by developing solutions to enable accurate and powerful population-scale data analysis algorithms.

Both Genomics plc and DNAnexus are working with the Regeneron Genetics Center, and Genomics plc is a Platform Partner of Genomics England.

“Combined analysis of these huge data sets will enable researchers to extract much more information from large scale studies,” said John Colenutt, CEO, Genomics plc. “The longer term goal here is to unlock the potential for researchers to learn more about human biology, in turn leading to better diagnoses and more targeted therapies for patients, and we’re pleased to be working with the DNAnexus team towards this goal.”

“The DNAnexus Platform has become the leading solution for analysis providers who are seeking a secure, compliant, and scalable environment, on which they can deploy and extend the reach of their product offerings. We believe that working collaboratively with Genomics plc on cutting-edge population-scale data analysis algorithms will help make the promise of population-scale sequencing analysis a reality,” added Richard Daly, CEO, DNAnexus.

Genomics was founded by four leading Oxford academics, including Professor Peter Donnelly, Director of The Wellcome Trust Centre for Human Genetics, and Professor Gil McVean, Director of The Big Data Institute. The company has developed a unique platform for genomic data analysis and interpretation, which combines world-leading expertise in statistical analysis and data mining with a unique integrated database linking genotypes and phenotypes. Genomics England, the company running the UK project to undertake whole genome sequencing of 100,000 patients in the National Health Service, has appointed Genomics plc as a Platform Partner and has also awarded the company three SBRI grants. Genomics plc is also working with four major pharmaceutical companies to bring the benefits of genomic analysis to their drug development processes. The company is supported by major investors, including IP Group, Invesco Perpetual, Woodford Investment Management, and Lansdowne Partners. For more information, visit www.genomicsplc.com.

DNAnexus combines expertise in cloud computing and bioinformatics to create the global network for genomics, operating in North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific (including China), South America, and Africa. The secure, scalable, and collaborative cloud-based DNAnexus Platform helps thousands of researchers across a spectrum of industries – biopharmaceutical, bioagricultural, sequencing services, clinical diagnostics, government, and research consortia – accelerate their genomics programs globally. For more information, visit www.dnanexus.com.