HLI gains access to PGDx's cancer genomics solutions to expand cancer genome analysis

Personal Genome Diagnostics, Inc. (PGDx), a provider of advanced cancer genome analysis and testing services, and Human Longevity, Inc. (HLI), the human health information technology and health care company, today announced that HLI will have access to PGDx's cancer genomics solutions to expand its analysis of cancer genomes, including CancerSelect™, PlasmaSelect™, CancerXome™, METDetect™ and CancerComplete™. HLI has also licensed the PGDx Enterprise Solution platform, which is a turnkey solution that enables laboratories to conduct their own advanced cancer genomic testing using next-generation sequencing.

PGDx co-founder and Chief Medical Officer Luis Diaz, MD, noted, "As pioneers in the field of cancer genomics, we are delighted to be collaborating with HLI, a visionary company co-founded by genomics legend J. Craig Venter." PGDx co-founder and Chief Scientific Officer Victor Velculescu, MD, PhD, added, "HLI's commitment to changing the way medicine is practiced by systematically harnessing genomics data to address aging-associated diseases aligns well with our goal of transforming the treatment of cancer by enabling researchers, physicians and patients to use genomics data to advance and personalize cancer therapy."

PGDx applies its advanced genomic methods to identify and characterize the unique genomic alterations in tumors using tissue and liquid biopsies from cancer patients. The ES platform utilizes PGDx's proprietary bioinformatics software pipeline that provides industry-leading sensitivity and specificity, while maximizing accuracy in detecting multiple types of tumor-specific mutations. PGDx's targeted gene panels focus on well-characterized genes that have been selected for their high biologic importance in cancer and their relevance to drug targets and pathways.

HLI is building the world's largest and most comprehensive database of human genomic and phenotype data. The company has signed agreements with academic medical centers and large biotechnology companies to sequence and analyze human genomes, including those of cancer patients, to determine more precise treatments and more details about the specific tumor and cancer in that patient. The PGDx suite of solutions will enable even greater precision and detail for HLI's customers and their patients.

As part of the agreement, HLI will perform sequencing and analysis for select PGDx customers and for their own research activities.

"Having access to PGDx's capabilities, targeted cancer panels and Enterprise Solution platform for advanced cancer genomic testing is another important component to our already comprehensive and accurate database of human biological data," said J. Craig Venter, PhD, HLI's Co-founder, Chairman, and Chief Executive Officer. "We are excited to be partnering with PGDx and the extensive cancer genomics expertise and technology innovations developed by the world-class research team at PGDx."