NEW YORK (GenomeWeb) – Teva Pharmaceutical Industries will acquire a 51 percent stake in genomic analysis firm Immuneering in a deal announced on Monday.
Based in Cambridge, Massachusetts, Immuneering provides advanced data analysis services such as the analysis of gene expression, SNP, and protein concentration data, as well as next-generation sequencing data, including RNA-seq, exome sequencing, and whole-genome sequencing. The companies said they have collaborated during the past several years on research into genetic biomarkers and therapy-specific gene expression signatures, and the characterization of non-biological complex drugs.
As part of its investment, Jerusalem-based Teva, which said it is the world's largest producer of generic drugs, will have the right of first refusal in projects related to Teva's objective of developing, personalizing, and improving central nervous system disorder treatments. The firms did not provide the dollar amount of Teva's investment in Immuneering.
Teva President of Global R&D and CSO Michael Hayden noted in a statement Immuneering's capabilities in linking and interpreting disparate datasets that are enormous in size. "This capability is invaluable in capturing difficult-to-find signals, confirming them in follow-up experiments, and informing decision -making that de-risks and optimizes development of therapeutic approaches," he said.