Gene by Gene Buys Arpeggi in a Deal to Accelerate Genetic Testing, Dx Services

NEW YORK (GenomeWeb News) – Consumer DNA testing firm Gene by Gene today announced the acquisition of bioinformatics firm Arpeggi for an undisclosed amount.

The deal, Gene by Gene said, will accelerate "an innovative suite of more affordable genetics testing and diagnostics services available to consumers, researchers, and healthcare providers."

Based in Houston, Gene by Gene provides DNA testing for ancestry, health, research, and paternity purposes. A month ago it and its DNA Traits division were hit with a lawsuit by Myriad Genetics and other plaintiffs claiming infringement of BRCA 1 and BRCA 2 gene patents.

Arpeggi was founded in 2012 and develops solutions for genome sequencing, data management, and computational analysis. In April it launched a free community-driven platform called Genome Comparison and Analytic Testing for the evaluation of next-generation sequencing data analysis methods, as reported by BioInform. It was selected to join the Startup Health and GE Entrepreneurship Program, aimed at growing, commercializing, and scaling new innovative healthcare technologies.

"The acquisition of Arpeggi's technology and world­class team of data and technology experts will enable us to accelerate Gene by Gene's plan to make next­generation DNA sequencing and clinical genomics accessible and affordable to all," Max Blankfeld, managing partner of Gene by Gene, said in a statement. "We are on a mission to transform healthcare by dramatically speeding up the process, and reducing the costs, of genetic tests, which today are often far too expensive for the average consumer."

Arpeggi's team and technology platform will be merged into Gene by Gene. The Austin, Texas based firm's founders will join Gene by Gene's management team also. Effective immediately, Nir Leibovich is Gene by Gene's chief business officer, Jason Wang is its chief technology officer, and David Mittelman is now its CSO.

Gene by Gene's Doron Behar was also named chief medical officer, and Blankfeld and Bennett Greenspan will remain Gene by Gene's managing partners.