Illumina ($ILMN) has allied with BioDiscovery to offer data visualization and interpretation software alongside its CytoSeq assay. The agreement will see Illumina offer BioDiscovery’s NxClinical software to help CytoSeq users with data analysis and management.
BioDiscovery has designed NxClinical to make it easier for clinical laboratories to manage and analyze genetic data, specifically by automating some of the workflows. Partnering with Illumina builds upon this idea. Now, NxClinical software will directly read CytoSeq results, before processing sample data to deliver a visualization of the output. The collaborators think this will make it easier for laboratories to visualize and interpret genomic events.
“NxClinical was designed to provide reliability and consistency in the analysis and reporting of genomic events and encompasses many automated features that increase efficiency and eliminate repetitive tasks,” BioDiscovery President Dr. Soheil Shams said in a statement. “The software’s ability to handle different types of data such as CNV, allelic events and sequence variants makes it an ideal tool for CytoSeq.”
Landing the deal marks a milestone in the short history of NxClinical, which BioDiscovery introduced in October 2014. Version 2.0 of the software was released 11 months ago. The idea is to simplify the task of interpreting and reporting genetic variations by automating processes and integrating reference databases, such as OMIM and ClinVar. BioDiscovery drew on the experience of developing its Nexus Copy Number software to create NxClinical.
While Illumina is the first tech company to publicly unveil an agreement to offer NxClinical to clients, the deal is reminiscent of alliances BioDiscovery has for other pieces of software. In September, genomic service provider AKESOgen entered into a co-marketing partnership with BioDiscovery. And in June 2014, BioDiscovery tailored its Nexus Copy Number software to Affymetrix’s products.
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