NEW YORK – Illumina and Ovation said on Tuesday that they are collaborating on generating genomic data from patient samples for clinical research outside of oncology.
The partners aim to provide researchers with high-quality longitudinal clinical data, including electronic medical records, lab results, and insurance claims to help identify therapeutic targets.
The first phase of the collaboration will create pilot datasets for liver disease, chronic kidney disease, and patients treated with glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor agonists to demonstrate proof of concept. Illumina and Ovation will then seek industry partners to sequence the most underrepresented and high-value patient populations.
Financial and other details were not disclosed.
"Our collaboration with Ovation will add to the depth and diversity of data available to drive research in metabolic diseases, cardiology, immunology, and other indications," Todd Christian, Illumina senior VP of services, arrays, and genomics access, said in a statement. "These types of collaborations build on our mission to unlock the power of the genome by expanding genomic healthcare insights across a wider range of conditions, accelerating the impact of precision medicines."
The deal builds on Ovation's existing IBD Omics product to identify novel biomarkers for disease progression and therapy response in both Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis. The product features whole-genome sequencing and RNA-seq data from inflammatory bowel disease patients.
Based in Portland, Maine, Ovation offers a cloud-based laboratory information management system and a research network of clinical laboratories. In January, the firm inked a deal to use DNAnexus' Precision Health Cloud to collect large-scale omics data.
Ovation's biobank includes more than 1.6 million de-identified and consented samples.