The company has incorporated the Affymetrix GCS3000, Sequenom MassArray, and LifeTech Ion Torrent technologies to recognise polymorphisms involved in drug response and adverse drug events as well as in determining somatic mutations in cancer.
Genetris with the incorporation of Sequenom’s MassArray will be able to design customizable, multiplex panels of genes for use in clinical trials.
The new genomic biomarker technology Ion Torrent PGM allows speedy, deep sequencing of large areas of the genome, which can recognize both common and rare variations that may better calculate the safety and efficacy of new drugs in development.
Gentris presently is using the Ion Torrent PGM for discovery initiatives with its pharmaceutical partners and UNC-Chapel Hill.
Gentris has used Affymetrix DMET Plus analysis in a number of clinical studies, including oncology clinical trials.
Gentris chief scientific officer Scott Clark said it’s very exciting to use the Ion Torrent for discovery initiatives, because the depth of coverage and resolution can reveal new SNPs and variations which may be clinically relevant.
” However, these results need to be verified on a second platform which Gentris can perform because of its extensive experience with real-time PCR, Sanger sequencing, and Sequenom platforms,"Scott added.
Gentris chief scientific advisor Howard McLeod said, "By integrating multiple platforms, Gentris has the ability to address the needs of pharmaceutical clients during any stage in the clinical development of a drug.”