SAN FRANCISCO—Life Technologies Corp. and Boston Children'sHospital announced in early January the launch of Claritas Genomics, a newcompany formed to develop next-generation, genetic and genomics-baseddiagnostic testing solutions. The venture combines advanced instrumentation,software and bioinformatics capabilities with sophisticated clinicalinterpretation of test results and consultation by specialist physicians andmedical genomics experts at Boston Children's.
Claritas Genomics, which will be majority-owned byChildren's, will incorporate the expertise, assets and personnel of thehospital's Genetic Diagnostic Lab, a CLIA-certified center that already offersmore than 100 genetic tests, including many specialized diagnostics developedat Boston Children's. It will leverage Life Technologies' Ion Proton Sequencer,a benchtop technology that can be scaled for mass application for new teststhat the company plans to develop.
"While a number of academic and private ventures areoffering genomic sequencing and molecular diagnostics to the public, no otherpartnership has integrated all the elements—fast, accurate genomic sequencing,bioinformatics, CLIA expertise and access to researchers and clinicians who caninterpret the data in a meaningful way," said Sandra Fenwick, president andchief operating officer of Boston Children's. "We want to advance the standardof care, create a seamless experience and extend it to children and adultsacross the U.S. and around the world."
"Our investment in Claritas Genomics is a prime example of strategicpartnerships Life Technologies is entering into to accelerate the use ofaccurate genomic information in medical practice," said Greg Lucier, chairmanand CEO of Life Technologies. "This new venture serves as a model for futureendeavors to demonstrate the validation of our Ion Torrent technology in anintegrated laboratory workflow designed for clinical applications related topediatrics and inherited diseases."
