NEW YORK (GenomeWeb News) – Global Genomics Group and Quintiles announced today a collaboration aimed at developing new diagnostic tools and treatments for cardiovascular diseases as part of the Genetic Loci and Burden of Atherosclerotic Lesions (GLOBAL) clinical study.
Under the agreement, Quintiles' Expression Analysis business will conduct RNA sequencing, miRNA sequencing, and methylation analysis in the study.
The GLOBAL study is a pan-omic effort that combines genomics, epigenomics, transcriptomics, proteomics, metabolomics, lipidomics, and lipoprotein proteomics with coronary computed tomographic angiography in order to identify disease-related pathways, new drug targets, and biomarkers for heart diseases. The study is based on next-generation phenotyping, pan-omics, and systems biology driven bioinformatics, the companies said.
Global Genomics and Health Diagnostic Laboratory are funding the international, prospective, multi-center study, which will recruit up to 10,000 patients.
"RNA and microRNA sequencing, as well as methylation analysis, are cornerstones of functional genomics," Global Genomics CEO and Co-founder Szilard Voros said in a statement. Expression Analysis' expertise "will be advantageous as we investigate the biology of complex processes responsible for various cardiovascular diseases. The enrollment of the GLOBAL study is ahead of schedule."