Everist Genomics Awarded Admission to Johnson & Johnson's Life Science Innovation Center
SAN DIEGO and ANN ARBOR, Mich., July 10, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Everist Genomics (EGI), a privately held personalized medicine company developing innovative diagnostics for oncology and cardiovascular disease, announced today that it will open a new lab at Johnson and Johnson's Janssen Labs, a new life science innovation center, based in San Diego. Out of the more than 300 companies that have applied for space at the state-of-the-art facility, only 15 companies, including EGI, have been selected to date by Janssen Labs.
Janssen Labs, which opened in January 2012, provides its resident life science companies access to world-class infrastructure, equipment and resources to help advance research and development aimed at advancing medical care. Resident companies are chosen by a selection committee consisting of senior Johnson and Johnson management based on a comprehensive review that includes the prospective companies' business plans and financial projections. The companies are evaluated across a number of criteria, including:
- Compelling and credible science and/or technology across healthcare
- Area of significant medical or market need
- Demonstrate financial solvency
"In the biotechnology sector, San Diego is seen as one of the world's biggest hotbeds of innovation, and Johnson and Johnson stands in a class of its own with regards to innovation in research and development," said Alex Charlton, Executive Vice Chairman of EGI Charlton. "The expansion of EGI into Janssen Labs represents an exciting opportunity for us to showcase the unique capabilities of our diagnostics, prognostics and therapeutic selection technologies, which are underpinned by the company's strong IP position. Ultimately, we expect this initiative to support our entire business strategy, from new product development to marketing and sales, catalyzing both short-term and long-term growth opportunities."
EGI plans to open its Janssen Labs satellite laboratory in Q3 2012, enabling the company to achieve greater cost efficiencies across its business by sharing resources such as equipment and administrative support services with other companies at the facility. By locating the company's new laboratory in one of the world's top global biotechnology hubs, the company can evaluate opportunities for partnerships with other life science companies. EGI also sees tremendous added value by having close proximity to Silicon Valley.
Charlton added that while the terms of the Janssen Labs program does not require resident companies to contract with Johnson and Johnson on any research and development or commercialization plans, it ensures that EGI is on the radar screen of the multinational life sciences leader. "There is no obligation for companies operating at Janssen Labs to work or partner with Johnson and Johnson," Charlton said. "But as a natural result of our proximity to Johnson and Johnson, there is a potential to develop such relationships with the company in the future."
EGI has already begun marketing a number of products in areas such as colorectal cancer and cardiovascular disease through its ongoing R&D programs and industry partnerships. The company launched its first companion diagnostic test, OncoDefender-CRC, in June 2011 and has already distributed more than 6,000 OncoDefender-CRC test kits to hospitals around the country. In March 2012, the company expanded its companion diagnostics portfolio and began marketing three new testsOncoSelector, OncoDefender-MMR and OncoDefender-Lynch Syndrome. Through several strategic product acquisitions, the company has also entered the cardiovascular space, launching two new mobile health diagnostics, CardioDefender and AngioDefender. These devices integrate novel sensor technology with mobile digital services, smartphones and other mobile devices to provide flexible monitoring and diagnosis of cardiovascular conditions that traditionally have been limited to observation through legacy hospital diagnostic systems.
At the company's new laboratory at Janssen Labs, EGI will focus on continuing to build out its colorectal cancer and cardiovascular disease portfolios, leveraging its proprietary machine learning algorithm, Evolver, to identify and assess new biomarkers that are relevant to disease prognosis and treatment. EGI is also exploring new technologies and platforms designed to advance treatment planning in other indications, such as metabolic disease
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CardioDefender The world's first hospital quality ECG on a smartphone
About Everist Genomics
Everist Genomics, Inc. (EGI) is a personalized medicine company, which develops and commercializes medically unique diagnostics, prognostics and therapeutic selection technologies. EGI is focused on rapidly growing disease areas with major unmet needs, including cancer, cardiovascular disease and metabolic disease (e.g. diabetes). EGI's innovative products successfully integrate with mobile digital services, smartphones and tablet computers resulting in advanced medical technology, which until now has been confined to the hospital setting. For online information about Everist Genomics, please visit www.everistgenomics.com.
SOURCE Everist Genomics