Cerner and Claritas Genomics Will Collaborate to Advance Personalized Medicine
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Dec 5, 2013
KANSAS CITY, Mo. and CAMBRIDGE, Mass., Dec 05, 2013 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE via COMTEX) — Cerner Corp. CERN -0.14% and Claritas Genomics announce that the companies will work together to advance personalized medicine by building tools and connectivity that will better integrate next generation sequence (NGS)-based diagnostic testing into health care practice. The parties will collaborate to develop a rapid, scalable laboratory solution for molecular diagnostics that is tailored to NGS workflows, which are more complex and generate much more data than traditional molecular diagnostic tests.
Claritas will implement Cerner’s Millennium Helix solution as part of the initial phase of the project, and will join Cerner’s Reference Lab Network to allow seamless ordering and results return for other Reference Lab Network partners.
As part of the relationship, Cerner Capital, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Cerner, has invested in the company, becoming a minority shareholder and bringing to a close the company’s Series A round. Clay Patterson, managing director of Cerner Capital, has joined Claritas’s board of directors.
Cambridge-based Claritas Genomics is a clinical diagnostics laboratory that provides genetic testing with a focus on pediatric medicine, combining advanced genetic analysis technology with clinical interpretive services that tap into the expertise of specialists at the best pediatric hospitals. The company was formed as a spin out of Boston Children’s Hospital, with an investment from Life Technologies in February, and was recently joined by Cincinnati Children’s Hospital, and now Cerner, as key investors and network partners. The relationship with Cerner will enable Claritas to tap into an existing, scalable computing infrastructure that integrates ordering of genomic sequencing tests, laboratory processing, results interpretation, return of results to the clinician and incorporation of the result in the patient’s electronic medical record (EMR).
“Cerner has long focused on the power of genomics and its impact to clinical processes, and this relationship will help advance the field and define a meaningful narrative in personalized medicine between the realms of research, diagnostics and clinical practice,” said Dick Flanigan, senior vice president with Cerner. Claritas’ focus on pediatrics is noteworthy, as that’s when integrating genomics into clinical practice could be particularly impactful.”
“One of Claritas’s goals is to enable providers at any pediatric center or practice to use genomics in routine medical care. Effective use of genomics in medicine requires integrating genetic information into the context of the patient’s unique clinical presentation. As a leading provider of both laboratory management systems and EMR systems in the world, Cerner has decades of experience synthesizing complex medical information across organizations to inform patient care and we are extremely pleased to have them as a strategic partner,” said Patrice Milos, PhD, CEO of Claritas.
About Cerner
Cerner is contributing to the systemic change of health and care delivery. For more than 30 years Cerner has been executing its vision to make health care safer and more efficient. We started with the foundation of digitizing paper processes and now offer the most comprehensive array of information software, professional services, medical device integration, remote hosting and employer health and wellness services. Cerner systems are used by everyone from individual consumers, to single-doctor practices, hospitals, employers and entire countries. Taking what we’ve learned over more than three decades, Cerner is building on the knowledge that is in the system to support evidence-based clinical decisions, prevent medical errors and empower patients in their care.
Cerner(R) solutions are licensed by approximately 10,000 facilities around the world, including more than 2,700 hospitals; 4,150 physician practices; 45,000 physicians; 550 ambulatory facilities, such as laboratories, ambulatory centers, behavioral health centers, cardiac facilities, radiology clinics and surgery centers; 800 home health facilities; 45 employer sites and 1,750 retail pharmacies.
Certain trademarks, service marks and logos (collectively, the “Marks”) set forth herein are owned by Cerner Corporation and/or its subsidiaries in the United States and certain other countries throughout the world. All other non-Cerner Marks are the property of their respective owners. Nasdaq: CERN. For more information about Cerner, please visit www.cerner.com, Twitter, Facebook and YouTube.
Cerner Media Contact: Megan Moriarty, (816) 888-2470, [email protected]
Cerner Investors Contact: Allan Kells, (816) 201-2445, [email protected]
About Claritas Genomics
Claritas Genomics is a clinical genetic diagnostic testing company that combines the clinical expertise of the world’s best pediatric specialists with next generation sequencing technology to inform and improve patient care. Claritas offers a full range of services that take the guesswork out of selecting molecular tests and support clinicians as they navigate the increasingly complex landscape of genetic diagnostics. Claritas’s interpretive services are based on the most up to date and reliable findings and its reports are designed to clearly communicate complex genetic information to inform medical treatment. Originally Boston Children’s Hospital’s clinical molecular testing laboratory, Claritas was launched as an independent laboratory in February 2013.
Claritas Media Contact: Nurjana Bachman, (617) 553-5803, [email protected]
(C) Copyright 2013 GlobeNewswire, Inc. All rights reserved.
Cincinnati Childrens Joins Boston Childrens to Establish the Claritas Pediatric Genomic Network
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Nov 12, 2013
Pediatric hospitals to share data and genomic testing infrastructure for the benefit of patients
Cambridge, Nov 12 Cincinnati Childrens Medical Center has partnered with Claritas Genomics, a company formed by Boston Childrens Hospital and Life Technologies Corporation (NASDAQ: LIFE), to provide genomics-based diagnostics for pediatric patients. Cincinnati Childrens will work with Claritas and Boston Childrens to build a collaborative network to enable pediatric hospitals to share data, expertise, best practices and infrastructure in medical genetics and genomics for the benefit of patients.
Cambridge-based Claritas Genomics, which currently offers over 100 specialty tests, is a diagnostics laboratory that provides genetic testing for clinical providers and researchers with a focus on pediatric medicine. The company was spun out of Boston Children’s Hospital in February and combines advanced genetic analysis technology with clinical interpretive services informed by the expertise of pediatric specialists and bioinformaticians.
We are excited to join the partnership with Boston Childrens and Claritas to build the scale of data necessary to realize the promise of clinical genomics. Given the expertise at pediatric hospitals in genomics specifically, the knowledge required to determine the full clinical impact of a patients genome, and the ethical approaches to responsibly act on the information, patients will benefit from our pediatric hospitals working together in new ways said Dr. Arnold Strauss, Director, Cincinnati Children’s Research Foundation. Working with Claritas will bring the pediatric expertise to patients across the country and world.
Cincinnati Childrens is also investing financially in Claritas, bringing the companys Series A round to a close with two additional strategic investors. The investments bring the new venture closer to a scalable, practical paradigm for advancing genetic and genomic research discoveries and bringing them to appropriate clinical use.
Boston Childrens created Claritas to allow large scale access of the expertise in medical genomics, unique in the pediatric community, to reach larger numbers of patients than would be possible at any single institution. We are pleased that our colleagues at Cincinnati Childrens are joining us in this venture, said Sandra Fenwick, President and CEO of Boston Childrens Hospital. Given current financial pressures in healthcare, stand-alone pediatric hospitals will need to collaborate to better leverage resources to accelerate innovations to improve patient care.
The ability to responsibly share well-characterized data and knowledge across multiple institutions will make each institution stronger said Gary Fleisher, MD, physician-in-chief at Boston Childrens Hospital. Pediatrics has always been a very collaborative community and now we are working out new ways to formalize these collaborations.
These exciting partnerships with two of the top three pediatric hospitals in the country are the foundation for providing genomic sequencing and interpretation not just for a single institution, but for patients worldwide, said Patrice Milos, PhD, Claritass Chief Executive Officer. With both Boston Childrens and Cincinnati Childrens as partners, we are building a network of pediatric academic centers, linked through electronic systems, that can provide consults and share genomic data to get answers to unsolved genetic diseases much faster.
Claritas Genomics is a clinical genetic diagnostic testing company that combines the clinical expertise of the world’s best pediatric specialists with next generation sequencing technology to inform and improve patient care. Claritas offers a full range of services that take the guesswork out of selecting molecular tests and support clinicians as they navigate the increasingly complex landscape of genetic diagnostics. Claritas’s interpretive services are based on the most up to date and reliable findings and its reports are designed to clearly communicate complex genetic information to inform medical treatment. Originally Boston Children’s Hospital’s clinical molecular testing laboratory, Claritas was launched as an independent laboratory in February 2013.
Cincinnati Childrens Hospital Medical Center ranks third in the nation among all Honor Roll hospitals in U.S. News and World Reports 2013 Best Childrens Hospitals ranking. It is ranked No. 1 for cancer and in the top 10 for nine of 10 pediatric specialties. Cincinnati Childrens, a non-profit organization, is one of the top three recipients of pediatric research grants from the National Institutes of Health, and a research and teaching affiliate of the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine. The medical center is internationally recognized for improving child health and transforming delivery of care through fully integrated, globally recognized research, education and innovation. Additional information can be found at www.cincinnatichildrens.org. Connect on the Cincinnati Childrens blog, via Facebook and on Twitter.
Boston Childrens Hospital is the worlds largest research enterprise at a pediatric medical center, where its discoveries have benefited both children and adults since 1869. More than 1,100 scientists, including seven members of the National Academy of Sciences, 14 members of the Institute of Medicine and 14 members of the Howard Hughes Medical Institute comprise Boston Childrens research community. Boston Childrens is a 395-bed comprehensive center for pediatric and adolescent health care grounded in the values of excellence in patient care and sensitivity to the complex, diverse needs of children and families. Boston Childrens is also the primary pediatric teaching affiliate of Harvard Medical School. For more information about research and clinical innovation at Boston Childrens, visit: http://vectorblog.org.
CONTACTS:
Nurjana Bachman
Claritas Genomics
(617) 553-5803
[email protected]
Terry Loftus
Cincinnati Childrens Medical Center
513-636-9682
[email protected]
[email protected]
Rob Graham
Boston Childrens Hospital
617-919-3110
[email protected]
As reported in the Wall Street Journal
Claritas Genomics to Sequence 18,000 Exomes for the Million Veterans Program with Ion Torrent Next-Generation Sequencers
BOSTON, October 21, 2013 /PRNewswire/ — Claritas Genomics, together with partners Life Technologies (NASDAQ: LIFE) and Lockheed Martin (NYSE: LMT), announced today that the Veterans Administration (VA) has awarded Claritas a contract to sequence the exomes of 18,000 military veterans over the next 12 months, one of the largest sequencing projects ever in the US.
The project is the first step in the VAs Million Veteran Program (MVP), which will ultimately sequence 1 million veterans and establish one of the largest databases of genetic, lifestyle, and health information. This vast and well-characterized database will enable research and, in the future, lead to improved treatments in a variety of diseases such as diabetes, cancer and post-traumatic stress disorder, and will be a resource that could transform healthcare for future generations.
Claritas Genomics is supported by Life Technologies, which brings its Ion Proton sequencing technology, Alvarez and Associates, which is providing technical support and Lockheed Martin, which is applying its expertise in data security to manage the large amounts of data that will be generated.
Cambridge-based Claritas Genomics is a clinical diagnostics laboratory that provides genetic testing for hospitals and researchers with a focus on pediatric medicine. It was spun out of Boston Children’s Hospital in February — and in nine months — has quickly established itself as a leading resource for large-scale sequencing projects like the MVP.
“Claritas Genomics is privileged to be part of this historic project and honored to have a role in helping our veterans and their families,” said Dr. Patrice Milos, chief executive officer of Claritas Genomics. We know firsthand from our work in pediatrics the power of large datasets to uncover the genetic mechanisms of disease. Whats unique about the MVP is that well produce a massive dataset at a fraction of the time and cost it would have required even a year ago, and thats a direct result of the speed, simplicity and affordability of Ion Torrents sequencing technology.
“Claritas is an amazing example of how Ion Torrent technology is changing whats possible in sequencing, said Life Technologies Head of Medical Sciences Ronnie Andrews, who worked with Claritas Genomics and Lifes Enterprise Solutions Group to build a population-scale genetic analysis solution. They opened their doors in February and by October theyre leading one of the largest exome sequencing projects in the US. Thats the kind of massive leverage the Ion Proton Sequencer, Ion AmpliSeq Exome Kit and Ion Reporter Software bring to sequencing.
Lockheed Martin is excited to be part of one of the largest genomics projects in the nation, said Glenn Kurowski, vice president of health and life sciences for Lockheed Martins Information Systems & Global Solutions business. Information security, data management, and analytics at-scale are vital to this project; we are thrilled to be enabling engineering and IT in those areas for our team and the VA. We look forward to helping the VA with their goals of finding better ways, through genomics, to prevent, detect and treat disease for our nations veterans.
“We are pleased to be part of this very important project, said Everett Alvarez, Jr., chief executive officer at Alvarez & Associates. As a U.S. Military Veteran, I am proud of the fact that my company is able to serve those individuals who were/are willing to sacrifice all in service to our country. I feel that this effort will greatly improve our ability to understand and better assist those Veterans in need as well as the future generations of Veterans.
The Ion AmpliSeq Exome Kit and Ion Proton Sequencer are For Research Use Only. Not for use in diagnostic procedures.
About Claritas Genomics
Claritas Genomics is a clinical genetic diagnostic testing company that combines the clinical expertise of the worlds best pediatric specialists with next generation sequencing technology to inform and improve patient care. Claritas offers a full range of services that take the guesswork out of selecting molecular tests and support clinicians as they navigate the increasingly complex landscape of genetic diagnostics. Claritass interpretive services are based on the most up to date and reliable findings and the Claritas reports are designed to clearly communicate complex genetic information to inform medical treatment. Originally Boston Childrens Hospitals clinical molecular testing laboratory, Claritas was launched as an independent laboratory in February 2013.
Claritas Genomics Contact:
Nurjana Bachman
(617) 553-5803
[email protected]
About Life Technologies
Life Technologies Corporation (NASDAQ: LIFE) is a global biotechnology company that is committed to providing the most innovative products and services to leading customers in the fields of scientific research, genetic analysis and applied sciences. With a presence in more than 180 countries, the company’s portfolio of 50,000 end-to-end solutions is secured by more than 5,000 patents and licenses that span the entire biological spectrumscientific exploration, molecular diagnostics, 21st century forensics, regenerative medicine and agricultural research. Life Technologies has approximately 10,000 employees and had sales of $3.8 billion in 2012.
Life Technologies’ Safe Harbor Statement
This press release includes forward-looking statements about our anticipated results that involve risks and uncertainties. Some of the information contained in this press release, including, but not limited to, statements as to industry trends and Life Technologies’ plans, objectives, expectations and strategy for its business, contains forward-looking statements that are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results or events to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Any statements that are not statements of historical fact are forward-looking statements. When used, the words “believe,” “plan,” “intend,” “anticipate,” “target,” “estimate,” “expect” and the like, and/or future tense or conditional constructions (“will,” “may,” “could,” “should,” etc.), or similar expressions, identify certain of these forward-looking statements. Important factors which could cause actual results to differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements are detailed in filings made by Life Technologies with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Life Technologies undertakes no obligation to update or revise any such forward-looking statements to reflect subsequent events or circumstances.
Life Technologies Contact:
Wes Conard
415-385-4455
[email protected]
Read the press release about our launch.