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Agilent to Integrate Genomenon Search Engine, Accelerate Workflows With Nvidia

NEW YORK – Genomenon said Tuesday that it will integrate its Mastermind Genomic Search Engine into Agilent Technologies' Alissa Interpret genomic data analysis and variant interpretation software as part of a newly formed partnership.

The two-phase integration will start with the addition of links to Mastermind from Alissa Interpret, so users will be able to filter and review variants in the Agilent product, then click to see related medical evidence provided by Genomenon. A second phase, which the companies expect to begin before the end of 2022, will see a deeper integration through Mastermind's application programming interface, so researchers will be able to evaluate and review literature search results without leaving Alissa Interpret.

"With this deeper integration, users of Agilent's Alissa Interpret will experience an optimized workflow by being able to quickly view the evidence needed to make a genetic diagnosis," Mike Klein, CEO of Ann Arbor, Michigan-based Genomenon, said in a statement.

"Leveraging Mastermind to enhance the unique collection of curated knowledge sources of Alissa Interpret strengthens our position in the somatic and hereditary disease markets," added Kevin Meldrum, VP and general manager of Agilent's integrated genomics division.

Genomenon entered a new growth phase in March with the closing of a $20 million Series B funding round. The company hopes to curate the entire human genome through its artificial intelligence-based Mastermind Genomic Search Engine over the next three years.

Also on Tuesday, Agilent, of Santa Clara, California, said that it would accelerate variant-calling workflows by combining its Alissa Reporter software with Amazon Web Services Graviton2 processors and Nvidia Clara Parabricks genomic analysis technology on the Amazon Elastic Compute Cloud. 

"The integration of Nvidia Clara Parabricks with Agilent’s Alissa Reporter software package will enable clinical labs and researchers to improve the efficiency and costs associated with [next-generation sequencing] data analysis, helping to advance genomics discovery and medicine," said George Vacek, global director of genomics alliances at Nvidia.

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