US-based genetic analysis firm OpGen has entered into an agreement with Hitachi High-Technologies for the development of human chromosome mapping analytical service for clinical research applications.
The new service, which will be a combination of OpGen's Whole Genome Mapping technology and Hitachi High-Technologies' and Hitachi group's cloud-based systems, will comprise bioinformatics tools to complete human genome sequence, detect and analyze structural variations in human chromosomes.
OpGen CEO Douglas White said: "The resulting human chromosome mapping service will enable OpGen to continue its expansion into clinical research with the potential to develop diagnostic applications for diseases based on a patient's genetic information."
Funding for the development will be provided by Hitachi, while the deal will see companies work together to combine the strengths of their proprietary technologies.
OpGen's technology offers a different view into structural variation in human chromosomes and provides a more accurate and complete analysis of the human genome than next generation sequencing data alone can provide.
According to OpGen, many structural variations are realted with cancer, autism, Alzheimer's disease and many other cognitive disorders.
The genetic information will help in the development of new therapies, and will allow the broader healthcare community to diagnose and guide treatment decisions based on a patient's genetic profile.
Hitachi High-Technologies along with Hitachi Solutions is developing the human genome cloud platform, which will provide secure entry portals for researchers, clinicians and patients, to access Whole Genome Mapping data, human chromosome analytical tools and clinically actionable data.
As part of the development, Hitachi High-Technologies will add human DNA sequence analytical tools, which complement Whole Genome Mapping, to offer complete genetic evaluation of human chromosomes.
