NEW YORK (GenomeWeb News) - Perlegen and 454 Life Sciences will collaborate on a project to re-sequence “hundreds” of human DNA samples with the goal of developing a test to predict how patients will respond to a certain class of drug.
Perlegen said it has collected samples from individuals with specific responses to a “widely prescribed” class of drug. The partners intend to identify and validate genetic variations that could be developed into a clinical test that would predict response to the drug family.
Under the agreement, the companies will re-sequence portions of genomes from the samples using 454 sequencing and Perlegen's sample-prep and amplification technologies.
The companies' data analysis groups will work together to determine to what extent genetic variations influence patient response to this class of drugs.
Perlegen did not divulge the name of the drug class involved in the study, but said the research "holds the promise to improve therapeutic outcomes for a vast number of patients."
Financial terms of the agreement were not released.