CollabRx teams up with OncoDNA

SAN FRANCISCO—Data analytics firm CollabRx, Inc. and Belgiancompany OncoDNA, SA, a provider of DNA next-generation sequencing tests forclinical use in cancer, have announced the beginning of a multi-year agreementto buy CollabRx software as a service-based technology and content resources,which will be used in conjunction with OncoDNA's cancer mutation panels.

Per the agreement, the partners will undertake thedevelopment of a combined test and medical informatics solution by uniting theresults of OncoDNA-developed cancer mutational panels with clinicallyactionable knowledge from CollabRx, which currently boasts a network of morethan 75 leading clinical practitioners in the United States and Europe. Nofinancial terms for the agreement were disclosed.

"Our agreement with OncoDNA reflects our commitment topartner with best-in-class laboratories and diagnostic companies, and is asignificant step forward in our strategy to serve high-growth markets outsideof the U.S.," Thomas Mika, chairman, president and CEO of CollabRx, commentedin a press release. "We are excited to work with OncoDNA to establish aleadership position in the clinical next-generation sequencing market in Europeby providing ordering physicians with clinically relevant interpretation oftest results as a seamless part of the reporting process."

This partnership is the first for CollabRx outside of theUnited States. The company's approach includes a semantic integration platform,which allows for dynamic updates of CollabRx's molecular oncology knowledgebase with the latest medical and scientific data from the public domain.

"NGS-based tests are increasingly becoming a routine part ofclinical care for cancer patients, but the complexity of the genetic data fromtumor mutations is outpacing the ability of physicians to stay current withadvanced treatments. We are excited to partner with CollabRx to close thisknowledge gap and enable physicians who order OncoDNA tests to access highlycredible knowledge provided by CollabRx to aid in the interpretation of testresults," said Jean-Pol Detiffe, founder and CEO of OncoDNA, in a press releaseregarding the deal.

The announcement for the CollabRx/OncoDNA agreement comesone month to the day after another CollabRx partnership, which was announcedwith Projects In Knowledge, Inc., a developer of point-of-care digital andmobile information tools. The two organizations announced a multi-yearpartnership for the joint distribution of informational point-of-care softwareapplications to the more than 35,000 oncologists and clinicians that make upProjects In Knowledge's clinician network.

Under the terms of the partnership, CollabRx and Projects InKnowledge will initially work to integrate CollabRx Therapy Finder productsinto the Projects In Knowledge @Point of Care360 platform, a next-generationinteractive medical textbook that offers point-of-care accessibility. TherapyFinder applications consist of decision-support tools that provide oncologistsand pathologists with the ability to factor in the genetics of a patient'stumor during the treatment planning process. Financial terms were not released.

SOURCE: CollabRx press release