News Briefs

The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP) and Seven Bridges announced their joint development of Cavatica, a new cloud-based environment for storing, sharing and analyzing large volumes of pediatric cancer genomics data. Cavatica will support CHOP’s participation in the White House Precision Medicine Initiative, and provide data sharing and large-volume genomic analyses for the Children’s Brain Tumor Tissue Consortium and the Pacific Pediatric Neuro-Oncology Consortium. (For more on Seven Bridges’ cloud-based analysis platforms, see, “Seven Bridges Unveils Cancer Genomics Cloud, Takes on Private Funding.”) Press release

TransCelerate BioPharma is launching BioCelerate, a new subsidiary that aims to improve efficiencies in preclinical research. The six initial biopharmaceutical companies committed to launching BioCelerate include Boehringer Ingelheim, Bristol-Myers Squibb, Eli Lilly and Company, GlaxoSmithKline, Novo Nordisk, and Shionogi & Co. BioCelerate’s first initiative, Toxicology Data Sharing, will enable access to a broader cross-company set of toxicology data, to study the relationship between patient response and preclinical toxicology findings. (For more on TransCelerate, see, “New Pharma Collaboration Focuses on Clinical Standards.”) Press release

BC Platforms signed a contract with Nexus Personalized Health Technologies, to create a joint, translational research-driven offering connecting genetic and clinical information. Nexus provides services to biomedical researchers in bioinformatic and biostatistical data analysis, and will facilitate data integration with hospitals generating clinical data. Press release

CRO Analytics announced a second Series A investment from Ben Franklin Technology Partners (BFTP) of Southeastern Pennsylvania. The funding will allow CRO Analytics to continue validation of its lead product, Performer, and expand personnel to meet growth demands. Performer, a cloud-based software platform for analysis of clinical trial results, was also expanded to include additional assessments: CRO View, Site Voice and Patient Voice. Press release

IQuity Labs entered into a strategic relationship with Diatherix to provide laboratory services and sales to providers. Diatherix offers multiplex molecular diagnostic services to healthcare providers, for simultaneous detection of bacteria, viruses, parasites, and Candida related to infectious disease. Through the partnership, Diatherix will incorporate new product offerings supported by IQuity’s proprietary results algorithm related to autoimmune disease. (For more on IQuity, see, “IQuity Labs of Nashville Raises Funding for Launch of Blood Test for Multiple Sclerosis.”) Press release

Quanterix announced an alliance with Frontage Laboratories, becoming a preferred partner for assay research and development. Frontage, a CRO assisting biopharmaceutical organizations in research and product development, will use Quanterix’s Simoa instrument to create automated assays at high sensitivity. (For more on the Simoa, see, “Quanterix Prepares for Expansion with Upgraded Single Molecule Analysis Machine.”) Press release

Oracle announced that two of its Health Sciences offerings, Oracle Siebel Clinical Trial Management System and Oracle Health Sciences Clinical Development Analytics, have been selected by Bayer HealthCare manage the company’s clinical monitoring processes. Oracle Siebel Clinical Trial Management System manages and monitors clinical testing sites for issues as they arise; Oracle Health Sciences Clinical Development Analytics is a platform for clinical analytics, compliance issues, and resource monitoring. Press release

Octapharma will adopt E-WorkBook 10 from IDBS early this year. The web-based electronic laboratory notebook (ELN) will replace paper-based research and development and protect IP. Users will be able to search for information in real time and follow a specific researcher or experiment as part of the application. E-WorkBook 10 will be used across Octapharma’s German labs, including High Throughput Screening (HTS), fermentation, analytics and formulations. Press release

New Products

Sophia Genetics, through a partnership with Swift Biosciences, launched a combined solution for molecular diagnostics in Europe, combining sampling processing with data analysis. With this new combined solution, Sophia offers hospitals and labs clinical genomics analysis through Sophia DDM, while Accel-Amplicon Panels from Swift Biosciences deliver a complete sample prep solution in a single kit. The first combined solution will be the Accel-Amplicon 56G Oncology Panel, which provides analysis across 56 cancer-related genes, using 10 ng of input from either FFPE or liquid biopsy samples. Several new custom amplicon panels will be made available for Sophia Genetics’ Sophia DDM platform through 2016. Press release

PwC announced the launch of DoubleJump Health, a consumer health accelerator, along with two solutions called DoubleJump Interchange, and Bodylogical. DoubleJump Interchange is a cloud-based platform for healthcare stakeholders to share data, information, research and best practices. Bodylogical is a digital model of the human body to predict the likely progression of chronic diseases based on actions and interventions. Press release

INC Research Holdings launched its Catalyst program to strengthen collaborations with clinical research sites worldwide. The program includes a Catalyst Site Network and a Catalyst Community. INC’s Catalyst Site Network is a group of high-performing sites, which will have the opportunity to participate in an increased volume of clinical trials, with a dedicated relationship manager supporting the site and facilitating optimal matching to protocols. The Catalyst Community is an online forum representing a broader range of sites to support ongoing collaboration and information exchange on the conduct of clinical trials. Press release

Cenduit, a joint venture between Quintiles and Thermo Fisher Scientific, launched a new Professional Services Division. Cenduit created this group to establish a new operating model that engages sponsors throughout a clinical trial and provides hands-on experience for managing and enhancing Interactive Response Technology (IRT) systems. Cenduit’s Professional Services Division encompasses research and development, and provides eClinical integration, BI Analytics and solutions for customization. The Professional Services Division will also weigh in on particularly complex protocols or integrations with third-party systems that may require extra support. Press release

The Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai and LifeMap Solutions announced the international expansion of the free Asthma Health app to the United Kingdom and Ireland. Released in March 2015 alongside the launch of Apple’s ResearchKit platform in the United States, Asthma Health enables individuals with asthma to participate in a large-scale medical research study through their iPhones. (For more on the project, see, “LifeMap Reports User-Engagement Findings from ResearchKit App.”) Press release

Luminex Corporation received medical device licenses from Health Canada’s Therapeutic Products Directorate, Medical Devices Bureau, for the ARIES System and ARIES HSV 1&2 Assay. The ARIES System and HSV 1&2 Assay previously received FDA clearance in October 2015 and were subsequently launched in the U.S. market. The ARIES System is a sample-to-answer system that can run tests individually or in multiplex. Press release