The editors over at Technology Review have developed their yearly list of smart companies.
While chip provider Nvidia tops the list of 50 firms, followed by SpaceX and Amazon, the list also includes a number of genomics and other biotech companies. The fourth slot on the list goes to direct-to-consumer genetic testing company 23andMe. Tech Review notes that though the firm encountered regulatory trouble with the US Food and Drug Administration in 2013, the agency has this year given 23andMe the go-ahead to market its genetic health risk reports for conditions like Alzheimer's disease and Parkinson's disease.
Regeneron, meanwhile, takes ninth place for its efforts in treating eye diseases and using genetics to guide drug development, and the top 10 is rounded out by Spark Therapeutics, which has been working on treating hemophilia B by injecting viruses that contain fixed versions of the gene encoding the blood-clotting protein factor IX.
Also included on Tech Review's list are Merck at number 17, Ionis Pharmaceuticals at the 20th spot, Illumina at number 22, and Sophia Genetics at the 30th position. Oxford Nanopore also makes the list at number 32, Bluebird Bio at number 37, and Veritas Genetics at number 45.