Sony and M3 have joined forces, with backing from Illumina, to form a company that will offer genome analysis services in Japan. The endeavor will also aggregate genomic data with medical and other related information.
The new company, currently called P5, is to "facilitate genome research that further advances Japanese medical care, and, in the future, establish a new service platform for the medical industry," Tadashi Saito, a corporate executive officer, executive vice president, and officer in charge of Sony's Medical Business, said in a statement.
Meanwhile, the Verge says that medicine is an increasingly important sector for Sony, noting that CEO and President Kaz Hirai said in 2012 that it is to be a core part of the company's business, and Sony has since invested in other aspects of the field, including a $644 million medical imaging endeavor with Olympus to develop endoscopic technology.
GenomeWeb Daily News adds that Illumina has recently entered into agreements with clinical labs, further pushing sequencing into the clinical realm.