Tag Archives: rare diseases

Maintaining Momentum Post-ASHG: Maximizing the Value of Large Genomic Databases

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The newly launched NextCODE Exchange provides a browser-based hub for multi-center sharing and collaboration on collective data from massive whole-genome databases like the Haplotype Reference Consortium (HRC).

The newly launched NextCODE Exchange provides a browser-based hub for multi-center sharing and collaboration on collective data from massive whole-genome databases like the Haplotype Reference Consortium (HRC).

The American Society of Human Genetics (ASHG) meeting convened this week in San Diego, bringing together genetics experts from around the world to discuss programs with great potential to advance genomic-based medicine in the years to come.

To maintain the momentum generated this week, we need to find ways to integrate these important ideas, insights and programs, and to maximize the use of the massive databases that have been launched to support research on cancer, rare diseases and other pressing health topics.

One of the databases unveiled during the meeting was the Haplotype Reference Consortium, which aims to become the world’s most comprehensive database of genetic variations. Large databases like the HRC, along with several others already underway, can be tremendously helpful to researchers finding answers to some of the most challenging diseases. But there remains a significant bottleneck: these large, cumbersome databases cannot easily be shared and manipulated, limiting their utility for broad, multi-center genomic research.

The solution lies in the newly launched NextCODE Exchange (see release here). This browser-based hub allows for the sharing and harmonizing of massive whole-genome databases like the HRC to accelerate research. The integrated architecture allows users to visually confirm and validate findings in raw sequences, collaborating and sharing with others around the world who may have complementary research underway.

The momentum generated during ASHG will be multiplied by sharing and learning from the world’s collective genomic data on the NextCODE Exchange. Learn more here.

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Global Projects Move Genomic Medicine to the Next Level

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NextCODE takes top marks in Genomics England analysis and interpretation “bake-off:” NextCODE’s proven population-scale platform delivered the best results in rare disease and cancer clinical interpretation, as well as secondary analysis and variant refinement.

New genomics-based technologies and tools are making their way into a range of exciting research programs and clinical studies around the world. Leading-edge organizations are quickly adopting hardware for sequencing and systems for collecting genomic data. Now, the focus has turned to analysis and interpretation – the critical component necessary to gain the insights from the sequence data that will transform medicine.

Earlier this year, Genomics England announced investments for broad sequencing and analysis of 100,000 human genomes. At the time, Genomics England had selected Illumina as its sequencing partner and was coordinating resources and centers to support the effort, including resourcing for analysis and interpretation. [See blog post here]. Other initiatives, such as the Qatar genomics program and the initiatives by Longevity and Regeneron also represent the accelerated progress in seeking medical advancements from genomic data insights. [See blog post here.]

This week, Genomics England announced a select group of companies with advanced capabilities to move to the next stage of evaluation to provide clinical interpretation for the 100K Genomes Project. At the tip top was NextCODE, which received top marks by Genomics England for its analytical capabilities across all the categories evaluated: rare disease interpretation, secondary pipeline analysis and cancer interpretation. [See press release here.] The company’s advanced Genomically-Ordered Relational database, or GOR, combined with its clinical and discovery interfaces offer the most advanced and reliable capabilities to support the ambitious tasks undertaken by Genomics England, and are already proven at population scale. [Read more on the GOR database here.]

The coming months will be a very exciting time for genomic medicine, with interpretation taking the spotlight as we take leaps toward the next stage of personalized medicine.

Genomics and Rare Diseases: Hope for Solving Unanswered Questions

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Leading institutions around the world are leveraging the power of advanced sequencing technology to solve some of the greatest unanswered questions in medicine.

As we learn more about disease biology and uncover new insights thanks to the availability of genomic technologies, we are making meaningful progress in identifying means to address many rare diseases for which there is little medical hope today.

With these new genomic tools and insights, a wide range of opportunities has emerged to improve diagnosis and treatment of rare diseases. Over the past few years, DNA sequencing has begun to uncover the causes of rare diseases and, at the heart of each case solved is a patient and a family that has gained new understanding about their condition. With time, these success stories in diagnosis will lead to more successes in treatment.

Now more than ever, there is more hope that identifying the key mutations will lead to better understanding of the biology of disease and then to novel therapies. Better and faster technologies are being promoted by leaders in the field of genomics that are enabling much more rapid analysis and interpretation of a patient’s genome to find answers. The critical first step is to obtain sufficient data to analyze, compare it against a robust database of reference data, and gain an accurate understanding of potential mutations associated with these rare conditions.

As researchers focus on specific areas, new partnerships are extending access to data and accelerating progress with rare diseases around the world. Recently, genomic analysis collaborations were initiated by ACoRD at University College Dublin to implement NextCODE’s proprietary database and analytical tools to mine whole genome data for variants linked to autism spectrum disorders. [See blog post here]. Another genomic analysis program with ANZAC in Australia applies advanced sequencing analysis technology to better understand X-linked Charcot-Marie-Tooth Syndrome, a rare and progressively debilitating neurodegenerative disorder. [See blog post here] More collaborations are in the works and we’ll be talking about them as soon as we can.

We look forward to the results of these and other collaborations as leading institutions around the world make efforts to leverage the power of advanced sequencing technology to solve some of the greatest unanswered questions in medicine.

Genomics-Based Medicine Coming Into View

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NextCODE Health

NextCODE Health has quickly gained recognition for its unique capabilities to address unmet needs in the genomics space through a massive genomics database that interprets DNA samples to identify relevant disease markers.

The practice and adoption of genomic medicine is accelerating as technologies improve, costs fall and new insights drive better patient care. While many companies are supporting this emerging field, a select few are providing the unique perspectives and capabilities to advance progress even faster.

NextCODE Health made headlines less than a year ago with the announcement of its launch and funding by major investors in healthcare and biotechnology. The company quickly gained recognition for its unique capabilities to address unmet needs in the genomics space through a massive genomics database that interprets DNA samples to identify relevant disease markers. (See the features in Xconomy, Bio-IT World and PLOS Blog.) The company was later mentioned in Nature Biotechnology News for its potential contributions to genome studies by leveraging key reference data from deCODE’s Icelandic work in Iceland.

Its rapid trajectory since launch and the utility of its genomic analysis technology was featured in BioCentury in May, featuring testimonials from clinicians using NextCODE capabilities to diagnose patients at Boston Children’s Hospital, the Baylor College of Medicine, and the Sanford School of Medicine. In June, it was featured in a major interview with Bio-IT World and the company continues to expand. Since then, NextCODE has announced several programs through which global pioneers in clinical genomics research are applying its interpretation and analysis technology to support research and diagnosis in rare diseases, including:

As more organizations employ genomics in major research initiatives, NextCODE’s interpretation technology will be an increasingly important asset in delivering meaningful insights from the wealth of genomic data being produced. Visit NextCode for the latest on how the future of genomics-based medicine continues to evolve.

Pioneering Genome Sequencing Effort in England Aims to Shape the Future of Global Medicine

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£300 million in new investments for Genomics England

Genomics England 100,000 Genomes Project

Genomics England was set up by the UK Department of Health to deliver the 100,000 Genomes Project. Initially the focus will be on rare disease, cancer, and infectious disease. The project is currently in its pilot phase and will be completed by the end of 2017.

These are exciting times for large-scale sequencing projects. Last week, U.K. Prime Minister David Cameron announced over £300 million ($509.4 million) in new investments for Genomics England, which aims to sequence, analyze, and store the genomes of 100,000 UK National Health Service (NHS) patients by 2017. The investments include about £162 million ($275.1 million) from Illumina Inc. (NASDAQ:ILMN), the partner for the sequencing element of the project. In turn, Genomics England will pay Illumina about £78 million ($132.4 million) for its services.

At the same time, the Wellcome Trust will put £27 million ($45.8 million) into a new sequencing hub at its genome campus in Cambridge; the Medical Research Council, or MRC, is investing £24 million ($40.7 million) to support data analysis and interpretation, and the NHS will make £20 million ($34 million) available for the establishment of patient sequencing centers.

This is a prime example of how the implementation of sequencing technologies promises to drive a revolution in the structure of medical research. These new projects aim to capture more data on human DNA than ever before, with the goal of advancing care and solving healthcare challenges.

The 100,000 Genomes Project, developed by the NHS, has the potential to significantly influence the global community through its plans to integrate sequencing data into standard medical practice.

Genomics England plans to generate 100,000 whole genome sequences from NHS patients with cancer, rare diseases, and other conditions, and to share the resulting data for research and development purposes. In the early phases, the program will also seek to develop standards for consent, sample storage, data generation and variant analysis that may be useful for many other organizations conducting large-scale projects within public health systems.

The project is enlisting the help of organizations from around the world to undertake this significant effort. In fact, it recently selected Illumina to conduct the sequencing efforts and is evaluating technologies for storing, annotating, and interpreting the data so that it can be used  for both clinical diagnostics and drug discovery, development, and delivery to the right patients.

The challenges of analyzing data on such a large scale are formidable, but the end result carries great potential to address some of the significant unmet medical needs. NextCODE’s technology has already accomplished analytics on this scale based on its work with the Icelandic population through deCODE genetics. It’s an exciting prospect for advancing the future of genomics-driven medicine and one to watch.

Seeking Genomic Answers to Autism and Rare, Idiopathic Diseases

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rare-diseases-hannes-smarasonAs more is learned about autism spectrum disorders, more questions seem to arise. Yet with DNA sequencing, researchers are able to investigate the genetic roots of this and other diseases that are not yet well understood. It’s another instance in which genomics can shed light upon the workings of that most important organ system—the brain—which is so difficult to analyze.

Institutions around the world have sought to fill in pieces of the autism puzzle with links to other disorders and diagnostic insights, and these efforts have in recent years uncovered a number of possible genetic triggers and pathways. Yet the causes and manifestation of these diseases remain largely elusive.

University College Dublin’s Academic Centre on Rare Diseases (ACoRD) in Ireland, which is world renowned for its discoveries in rare genetics, is using NextCODE’s genome analysis technology to power large-scale, sequencing-based diagnostics programs and genome discovery efforts to study autism and rare pediatric disorders.

Recognizing the enormous potential of large-scale sequencing to mine whole genomes and accelerate discoveries in rare genetic diseases, ACoRD will focus on some of the most challenging areas to inform and provide new directions for research that may help lead to diagnosis, treatment, and even prevention for these disorders. In using NextCODE technology both for analyzing as well as storing large-scale genomic data, ACoRD is well positioned to become a focal point for multinational research and clinical diagnosis in conditions that require the gathering and collective analysis of genomes from many participants in many countries.

Rare Disease Research Focuses Charcot-Marie-Tooth Syndrome, Guided by DNA Sequencing

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rare diseases nextCODE hannes smarasonGenome sequencing is a relatively young technology and has been in active use in the research space for just over a decade. Yet already it has found very meaningful applications in clinical care, supporting the world’s leading researchers in discovering answers to some of the most rare and confounding diseases. The interface between the research and clinical realms is seeing some of the most exciting and fruitful applications of the power of sequencing. The ANZAC Research Institute in Sydney, Australia sits right at this nexus and is using the latest DNA sequencing and interpretation technology from NextCODE to mine genomes in search of genetic mutations that are associated with X-linked Charcot-Marie-Tooth syndrome (CMTX). CMTX is a rare, progressively debilitating neurodegenerative disorder that can be caused by mutations in many different places in the genome, including the X chromosome. At present there is no cure or drug treatment available. The team at the ANZAC Research Institute, recognized for their expertise in familial genetics, sought out the unique capabilities of the NextCODE analysis platform to investigate spaces outside the normal coding areas of genes. The aim is as pioneering as the technology: to identify not just just single SNPs but also structural variants that conventional approaches have not been able to search for systematically and link to CMTX. With dedicated research minds and the latest technology, the program aims to better understand this disease and potentially find novel targets for the development of therapies. This is one great example of the many opportunities to improve lives that are being generated by insights gained through the rapidly evolving field of genome sequencing.

Prime Targets for Whole Genome Sequencing: Cancer and Rare Diseases

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There’s a huge opportunity ahead for genome sequencing to impact human health, beginning with cancer and rare genetic diseases.

There is a documented history of conditions classified as “diseases of unknown origin”—in these cases, the biological mechanisms that led to the disease are simply unknown or have not yet been discovered. Yet as we learn more every day, certain diseases have clear links to underlying genetic mutations. As such, analyzing the genome sequence of a patient diagnosed with one of these diseases might help lead to a better understanding of the disease etiology and potential treatment strategies, particularly in the areas of cancer and rare genetic disorders.

Preventing cancer

While cancers have a range of causes and correlations, many have a set of genetic mutations that drive malignant growth. Recent advances have already introduced sequencing to the cancer category, as cancer patients are benefiting from genetic tests that reveal their personal risk for certain tumors (such as BRCA for breast cancer).  Recently, evidence has suggested that certain genetic mutations could be responsible for the development of a wide range of tumor types (see the recent study in Nature, for example). These findings support the idea of using genomic analysis to predict an individual’s cancer risk, by comparing their genome with databases of confirmed genetic mutations linked to disease.

Treating Cancer

In addition, genomic sequencing and analysis may help better understand the genetics of the tumor itself, and can provide explanations for how tumors evolve over time. Tests are increasingly available today that can help predict a tumor’s response to a specific type of treatment. With a genomic-based approach to cancer care, researchers expect that treatment will evolve to be more tailored to an individual tumor’s mutations and, eventually, through drugs that can attack several targeted gene mutations at once. Already we’ve seen evidence of this in certain areas, such as breast cancer drugs intended for use only in patients who test positive for the HER2 gene.

 Identifying Rare Diseases

Rare diseases are another area of significant opportunity for improved diagnosis and treatment through the use of genomics.  Every year there are new cases of children with “unknown” diseases, many of which are likely related to a hereditary genetic disorder. These children and their families often spend years undergoing testing and experimental treatments for a wide range of diseases to attempt to properly diagnose and treat them, usually accompanied by a very high financial and emotional burden.

There is a hope that by offering whole genome sequencing to patients with a suspected rare genetic disease, mutations that might be causing the disease may be identified, and thus correct treatment can be employed much earlier to eliminate the burden of a long-term diagnostic and treatment odyssey.

Cancer and rare genetic diseases are just the start.  There’s a huge opportunity ahead for genome sequencing to impact human health, and personalized medicine may be just on the horizon.  In fact, we are focusing on just these areas with NextCODE, the newly launched company I’ve founded. The improvements brought about by the genomics industry, with the help of the technologies and services offered at NextCODE, will provide enormous value to patients, doctors, and the health care system as a whole.