Category Archives: Genetics

Evaluating the Role of Genetics in Pediatric Suicidal Ideation and Aggression – Psychiatry Advisor

August 17, 2020 medical

Genetic variation combined with elevated aggression scores may predict childhood suicidal thoughts, while suicidal thoughts in childhood may point to young adult depression, according to data published in the Journal of Affective Disorders.

Researchers at the University of Pennsylvania wanted to determine if suicidal ideation in childhood was associated with genes indicative of suicidal ideation in adults. They also wanted to determine if aggression played a role in childhood suicidal thoughts.

A psychiatric disorder is present in more than 90% of adult suicides, according to the investigators, and aggression is associated with increased suicidal behaviors in both children and adults. Uncovering the role of childhood suicidal behavior on the development of psychiatric disorders later in life, as well as the influence of aggression, could help with suicide prevention efforts.

A total of 478 participants aged 8 through 18 years enrolled in the study and received ongoing assessment until age 19. Using multiple behavior assessment tools, researchers found that 25.9% of participants reported suicidal thoughts during 1 or more visits. These thoughts occurred for the first time at a median age of 13 years (mean age, 12.72.9 years; range, 8-18 years). Of the 17 children that attempted suicide, 10 reported aggression. Results of a Cox Survival analysis demonstrated a significant association between childhood aggression and suicide attempts.

To determine the role of genetics in the onset of suicidal thoughts, investigators tested specific haplotypes within ANKK1-DRD2 and HTR2C as potential predictors of suicidal thoughts and behaviors. Structural equation model results demonstrated that 3 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) within the HTR2C gene, 1 SNP in the ANKK1 gene, and 2 haplotypes AAAC in the ANKK1-DRD2 complex and the CCC haplotype in the HTR2C gene were significantly associated with suicidal ideation in childhood.

Limitations of the study include the relatively small sample size and the use of assessments conducted between 1990 and 2010, which does not account for the rise in suicide rates over the past decade.

Using genetic sequencing, researchers found specific haplotypes within ANKK1-

DRD2 and HTR2C genes are associated with either risk or resilience to developing suicidal

thoughts in childhood, depending on the individuals genetic background. Determining overall levels of aggression further helps determine which children will develop suicidal thoughts.

These observations have the potential to provide a framework for precision medicine that utilizes both genetic variation and phenotypic markers for early intervention and treatment, the researchers concluded.

Reference

Hill SY, Jones BL, Haas GL. Suicidal ideation and aggression in childhood, genetic variation and young adult depression [published online July 24, 2020]. J Affect Disord. doi: 10.1016/j.jad.2020.07.049

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Evaluating the Role of Genetics in Pediatric Suicidal Ideation and Aggression - Psychiatry Advisor

Genetics

Baylor Genetics and Rice University Form COVID-19 Screening Partnership for the Fall Semester; Partnership Aims for ‘Moon-Shot’ 48-Hours-or-Less…

August 17, 2020 medical

HOUSTON, Aug. 13, 2020 /PRNewswire/ --Baylor Genetics, a clinical diagnostics laboratory known for genetic testing and precision medicine, and Rice University, a private, comprehensive research university located in Houston, Texas, have partnered together to create a first-of-its-kind, total turnkey solution for the university to resume in-person classes for the fall semester despite the COVID-19 pandemic.

"For Baylor Genetics and Rice University, this partnership represents a moon-shot opportunity to benefit students, faculty, and staff," stated Kengo Takishima, President and Chief Executive Officer at Baylor Genetics. "It is imperative families have peace of mind as they send their children to college and we've set an aggressive goal of serving as a blueprint for other academic institutionsand, more broadly, society."

"In terms of learning online, I found that it wasn't that intuitive and effective for my own learning style. In addition to that, it is my senior year and I wanted to get one last taste of the community that I have come to grow and love here," said Victor Nguyen, a senior at Rice University, in an interviewreleased by the university. "Being on campus again feels a little bit more of what we are used to, even though we live in a new reality. It's closer to normal so it's exactly what we were hoping for."

This partnership entails Baylor Genetics providing support for temperature checks, on-campus sample collection and transport logistics, processing of samples, and customized results reporting for individuals via email. Nearly 60,000 screening tests will be performed by Baylor Genetics with a turnaround time of 48 hours or less.

In addition to large-scale surveillance testing, the partnership includes population management reporting. This custom reporting system delivers population data to assist policymakers at Rice with managing the campus community and by aiding in intelligent decision making.

"Testing by itself is not enough," said Kevin Kirby, Rice University's Vice President for Administration."What matters is how we use that information to act quickly to isolate, treat, contact trace, and quarantine those affected. A systematic approach is the best practice for creating an environment that will mitigate the spread of COVID-19."

In addition, data tracking will provide the university with specific trends and infection rates on buildings, facilities, and housing throughout the campus. This innovative approach is part of Rice's strategy to prevent cross-contamination and ensure the safety of its faculty, students, and staff. There are plans to extend the partnership with symptomatic testing in the near future.

"This opportunity is a chance to demonstrate that we can operate safely in such a difficult time," said Chad Shaw, Ph.D., Sr. Director of the Baylor Genetics Innovation Lab, Adjunct Professor of Statistics at Rice University, and Professor in the Department of Molecular and Human Genetics at Baylor College of Medicine, "As a Houstonian and a member of both the Baylor and Rice faculty, I am excited by the opportunity to serve my community to find a thoughtful and creative way to overcome the COVID challenge. It takes commitment, grit, and a team effort."

The program began the week of Aug. 3 with college staff, graduate students, and orientation coordinators. For students, testing is broken down into three phases and will begin Aug. 15. There will be no charge to faculty, studentsor staff for the on-campus testing.

For members of the Rice community that are confirmed positive for the coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2), Rice will follow the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention contact-tracing protocols to identify others who have had significant contact with those tested positive.

Baylor Genetics' test for COVID-19 has one of the highest sensitivity (true positive rate) and specificity (true negative rate) rates for identifying active coronavirus infection. All precautions, policies, and guidelines have been put in place with one goal in mind continue education in the safest, most effective way possible.

Media Contact:Jamie LimEmail: pr@baylorgenetics.com

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on-campus-collection-site-at-rice.jpgOn-campus collection site at Rice University

Genetic Variants and the Biology of Stillbirth – Technology Networks

August 15, 2020 medical

Columbia researchers have uncovered an array of new genes that cause stillbirth, significantly increasing the understanding of the condition's genetic foundations. The findings suggest that genetic analysis could be used to counsel parents who have previously experienced stillbirth and to unlock new human biology.

Using both standard and advanced analysis techniques, the team led by David Goldstein, PhD, and Ronald Wapner, MD, of Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons (VP&S) identified the likely genetic cause of stillbirth in about one of every 10 cases studied.

"This study shows that careful genetic analyses can often identify the precise genetic causes of stillbirth and demonstrates the importance of diagnostic sequencing in all cases of unexplained stillbirth," says Goldstein, director of the Institute for Genomic Medicine at Columbia University Irving Medical Center. "Of equal importance, the work highlights how little we currently understand about the biology of stillbirth and the role that genomic analysis can play in helping us understand it."

The study was published online today in the New England Journal of Medicine by the Columbia team. Kate Stanley, MS, a research associate in the Goldstein lab, and Jessica Giordano, MS, a research genetic counselor in the reproductive genetics division of the Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology at VP&S, were co-first authors of the study.Presumed Genetic Underpinning, but Few Studies

Stillbirth (the in utero death of a fetus after 20 weeks' gestation) occurs in approximately one in 100 pregnancies and is about 10 times more common than sudden infant death syndrome.

But in the majority of cases, the cause of stillbirth is unknown. Some have been linked to maternal medical conditions such as infection and preeclampsia; 10% to 20% are attributed to large and easily detectable chromosomal abnormalities. Only a few genes have been implicated.

"Unlike postnatal childhood conditions that are presumed to be strongly genetic, stillbirth had yet to be systematically analyzed with modern genome sequencing approaches," says Goldstein.

"All too often, we have no explanation to give parents who experience a stillbirth," says Wapner, professor of obstetrics & gynecology. "Not only are they devastated, they're often left to wonder if it's something they did wrong or if it might happen again."

Genomic Sequencing Plus New Bioinformatic Analyses Find Hidden Genetic Causes

Genomic sequencing has been particularly useful in diagnosing otherwise unexplained childhood disorders and fetal structural defects, and the Columbia team used it for the first time to search for genetic variants that cause stillbirth.

The researchers sequenced all protein-encoding genes--where most known disease-causing genetic variants occur--from 246 stillborn fetuses and deployed new statistical analyses to identify the genetic mutations that caused the death of the fetus.

The combination of traditional sequencing and new analytical techniques revealed small changes in 13 genes that caused fetal death; six of the genes had not been previously linked to stillbirth.

"Although these are small changes in only a single site in the genome, they are, in effect, genomic sledgehammers that either dramatically change or knock out essential genes and appear responsible on their own for fetal demise," Goldstein says.

The small genetic changes explained 8.5% of the stillbirths in the study. When combined with a previous analysis of larger genomic alterations in this group, the researchers determined that 18% of the stillbirths had a known genetic cause.

The analysis also showed a critical difference compared with the study of postnatal genetic conditions.

"Interestingly, some of the changes we found in genes known to cause postnatal diseases and conditions appeared to have more profound effects than the mutations linked to postnatal disease," Goldstein adds.

Clinical Implications

Currently, the analyses required to find causal genetic causes of a stillbirth can be conducted in only a few academic medical centers.

But eventually the findings from this study--and future studies--will help physicians counsel parents and guide clinical care.

"To a woman who's just had a stillbirth, specific knowledge about the cause is critical," Wapner says. "They often blame themselves and some decide not to have any more children."

If the stillbirth can be attributed to a genetic mutation that has only occurred in the fetus, not in the parents, the same problem is unlikely to occur in future pregnancies.

"That knowledge would change the way we would provide care," Wapner says, "and facilitate closure and bereavement for families."

Unlocking New Human BiologyMost genetic diagnostic studies focus on genes already known to cause disease. Because stillbirth has been understudied, however, the team wanted to test whether genetic changes in genes not currently linked to disease contribute to stillbirth.

For this assessment, the researchers used a bioinformatic tool pioneered by the Goldstein lab that focuses on genes that are under the strongest natural selection in the human population--known as "intolerant" genes. The lab team showed that at least 5% of stillbirths are likely explained by mutations in intolerant genes that are not currently linked to any known human disease.

"These novel disease genes appear to be critical for early human development, and the only way to discover them is through the analysis of fetuses that do not develop," Goldstein says.

"We're opening up new frontiers in biology and the more we understand about basic human development, the more we can potentially intervene."

Reference: Stanley et al. (2020).Causal Genetic Variants in Stillbirth. The New England Journal of Medicine.DOI: 10.1056/NEJMoa1908753.

This article has been republished from the following materials. Note: material may have been edited for length and content. For further information, please contact the cited source.

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Genetic Variants and the Biology of Stillbirth - Technology Networks

Genetics

Is bipolar disorder genetic? Yes, but that doesn’t guarantee you’ll develop it – Insider – INSIDER

August 15, 2020 medical

Bipolar disorder, formerly known as manic depression, is a mental health disorder that involves extreme mood swings. It is estimated around 4.4% of adults in the US will experience bipolar disorder in their lifetimes. The average age of onset is 25, but it can also occur in teenagers and children.

Experts don't know exactly what causes bipolar disorder, but research suggests that there is both a genetic component and environmental one that contribute to its development.

"Bipolar disorder is characterized by having a history of depressive episodes but more specifically at least one manic episode," says Jared Heathman, MD, a psychiatrist in Houston, Texas. "Manic symptoms include grandiosity, decreased need for sleep, increased rate of speech, flight of ideas, distractibility, and impulsive behaviors that contribute to social or occupational dysfunction."

A hereditary disease is one that can be passed on through genetic material, like from a parent to one of their children. For some hereditary diseases, like one type of breast cancer, physicians know exactly which gene causes the issue, and therefore, how likely it is to be passed along.

The exact genes related to bipolar disorder aren't known, which makes it difficult to explain the exact mechanisms of how the condition is passed on genetically. The leading theory is that several different genes contribute to bipolar disorder, each in a small way.

"Bipolar disorder works on something called a diathesis-stress model, meaning that someone inherits a greater likelihood of the disorder, but some sort of severe physical or mental stress can activate that tendency," says Aimee Daramus, PsyD, a licensed clinical psychologist and author of Understanding Bipolar Disorder: The Essential Family Guide.

According to a Journal of Psychiatry & Neuroscience study published in 2012, people who have one first-degree relative like a parent or sibling with bipolar disorder have a 15% to 35% greater chance of also developing the condition. If someone has two first-degree relatives with bipolar disorder, their chances of having the disorder increase to 75%.

Heathman says people with bipolar disorder have around a 10% chance of having children with the disorder, too. According to him, "most cases" of the condition happen in families where a relative already has bipolar but not all of them.

For bipolar disorder, genetics is just one part of the equation, and needs to be considered alongside other risk factors.

There are environmental and behavioral factors that might increase your risk of developing bipolar disorder. These include:

The relationship between alcohol use or drug use and bipolar disorder isn't fully understood. However, studies found that substance abuse and bipolar disorder can interact with each other to make symptoms significantly worse. A 2004 study published in the journal Bipolar Disorders evaluated 4,310 people receiving treatment for bipolar disorder at Veterans Administration (VA) facilities. Researchers found that 25% of these patients had alcohol use disorder, 10.4% abused cocaine, and 4.4% abused opiates.

"Some drugs are connected with a greater likelihood of developing bipolar if the genetic likelihood is there," Daramus says. For example, Daramus says, "Habitual cannabis use before someone's first mood episode is connected to an earlier age of onset."

A 2008 review published in Dialogues in Clinical Neuroscience looked at various studies about brain imaging in individuals with bipolar disorder and found there may be structural differences in the brain of those with bipolar disorder.

Specifically, a 2017 study published in Molecular Psychiatry found differences in the hippocampus, a part of the brain associated with memory and learning. People with bipolar disorder had abnormal shapes and less volume in that area.

Many conditions are comorbid with bipolar disorder, like depression, anxiety, and PTSD. A 2018 paper published in the American Journal of Psychiatry looked at 6,788 people who experienced substance-induced psychosis a condition where alcohol or drugs induce delusions or hallucinations and found that 32.2% developed bipolar disorder or schizophrenia.

The exact relationship between bipolar disorder and these other illnesses isn't fully understood, but people who suffer from them should also know how to recognize bipolar symptoms, and seek treatment if they appear.

According to a 2016 paper in the International Journal of Bipolar Disorders, experiencing trauma in childhood is connected with a higher risk of developing bipolar disorder. This may include:

Survivors of childhood trauma can have more severe cases of bipolar than people who didn't have those experiences. The researchers aren't certain of what causes the link, but suggest that childhood trauma can affect the way people respond to stressors as adults.

If you have a parent or a family member with bipolar disorder and are worried you may develop the same condition, Heathman says there's no known way to prevent it. But, you can learn how to manage the symptoms. "

A healthy lifestyle that includes a healthy diet and regular, adequate sleep can reduce the frequency of bipolar events," Heathman says.

People with a family history of bipolar disorder should also know the common symptoms, and how to seek professional help if they see signs of behavior that could be related to bipolar disorder.

Much more research is necessary to pin down the exact causes of bipolar disorder, including any specific genetic links and how hereditary the condition is. While bipolar can be a difficult condition to live with, many people do extremely well with medication and/or therapy, under the supervision of a physician.

Genetics

Baylor Genetics and Rice University form COVID-19 screening partnership for fall semester – Fort Worth Business Press

August 15, 2020 medical

HOUSTON Baylor Genetics, a clinical diagnostics laboratory known for genetic testing and precision medicine, and Rice University, a private, comprehensive research university, have partnered to create a first-of-its-kind, total turnkey solution for the university to resume in-person classes for the fall semester despite the COVID-19 pandemic.For Baylor Genetics and Rice University, this partnership represents a moon-shot opportunity to benefit students, faculty, and staff, Kengo Takishima, President and Chief Executive Officer at Baylor Genetics, said in a news release. It is imperative families have peace of mind as they send their children to college and weve set an aggressive goal of serving as a blueprint for other academic institutions and, more broadly, society.

Many universities nationwide have been strongly impacted by the pandemic and have announced changes to the fall semester. One of the major changes is universities going fully online for the semester.The news release said Rice has been able to overcome many challenges brought on by COVID-19 thanks to its partnership with Baylor Genetics.In terms of learning online, I found that it wasnt that intuitive and effective for my own learning style. In addition to that, it is my senior year and I wanted to get one last taste of the community that I have come to grow and love here, said Victor Nguyen, a senior at Rice University, in an interview released by the university. Being on campus again feels a little bit more of what we are used to, even though we live in a new reality. Its closer to normal so its exactly what we were hoping for.This partnership entails Baylor Genetics providing support for temperature checks, on-campus sample collection and transport logistics, processing of samples, and customized results reporting for individuals via email. Nearly 60,000 screening tests will be performed by Baylor Genetics with a turnaround time of 48 hours or less.In addition to large-scale surveillance testing, the partnership includes population management reporting. This custom reporting system delivers population data to assist policymakers at Rice with managing the campus community and by aiding in intelligent decision making.

Testing by itself is not enough, said Kevin Kirby, Rice Universitys Vice President for Administration. What matters is how we use that information to act quickly to isolate, treat, contact trace, and quarantine those affected. A systematic approach is the best practice for creating an environment that will mitigate the spread of COVID-19.In addition, data tracking will provide the university with specific trends and infection rates on buildings, facilities, and housing throughout the campus.Rice said in the news release that the innovative approach is part of the universitys strategy to prevent cross-contamination and ensure the safety of its faculty, students, and staff. There are plans to extend the partnership with symptomatic testing in the near future.

This opportunity is a chance to demonstrate that we can operate safely in such a difficult time, said Chad Shaw, Ph.D., Senior Director of the Baylor Genetics Innovation Lab, Adjunct Professor of Statistics at Rice University, and Professor in the Department of Molecular and Human Genetics at Baylor College of Medicine.As a Houstonian and a member of both the Baylor and Rice faculty, I am excited by the opportunity to serve my community to find a thoughtful and creative way to overcome the COVID challenge. It takes commitment, grit, and a team effort, Shaw said.The program began the week of Aug. 3 with college staff, graduate students, and orientation coordinators. For students, testing is broken down into three phases and began Aug. 15. There will be no charge to faculty, students or staff for the on-campus testing.For members of the Rice community who are confirmed positive for the coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2), Rice will follow the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention contact-tracing protocols to identify others who have had significant contact with those tested positive.Baylor Genetics test for COVID-19 has one of the highest sensitivity (true positive rate) and specificity (true negative rate) rates for identifying active coronavirus infection, the news release said. FWBP Staff

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Baylor Genetics and Rice University form COVID-19 screening partnership for fall semester - Fort Worth Business Press

Genetics

Experts develop genetic risk score to predict heart disease in South Asia – Express Healthcare

August 15, 2020 medical

Findings and methods developed can be used to screen large populations and high-risk individuals at a cost less than Rs 5000, according to the release

Findings of the first-ever research capturing the polygenic risk score for South Asia populations for coronary artery disease were recently published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology (JACC).

Conducted by MedGenome Labs, in collaboration with researchers from Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard; Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston; Narayana Health, Bangalore; Eternal Hospital, Jaipur; Madras Medical Mission, Chennai; KMCH, Coimbatore and a few other institutes, the study on Indian population validates a novel CAD-PRS (coronary artery disease-genome-wide polygenic risk score) to precisely predict the risk of developing a coronary artery disease/myocardial infarction (MI) using a persons genetic makeup.

Knowing the polygenic risk is important to individuals with a family history of CAD, hypertension, diabetes, high cholesterol level, smoking habits, alcohol consumption, stressful lifestyle, as CAD results from a combination of these factors. A poor lifestyle and high polygenic risk could be a fatal combination and may result in early-onset CAD.

Such findings and methods developed can be used to screen large populations and high-risk individuals at a cost less than Rs 5000.

Looking at all the available scientific evidence and our study results we are convinced that there exists a good opportunity to combine both clinical and genetic risks (polygenicrisk score based) and significantly improve the primary prevention of coronary artery disease (CAD). We firmly believe that incorporatingvalidated genetic risk scores would help in better stratification of high-risk individuals if implemented at population level,said Dr Vedam Ramprasad, CEO, MedGenome Labs.

This unique study is based on the principle of Genome-wide Polygenic Risk Score (PRS) which usesa genome-wideanalysis of an individual to quantify the risk of developing heart disease.

It was conducted on the south Asian population in 1800 confirmed CAD cases and 1163 control samples from five centres across the country with a median age between 54 and 55 years. The findings of this study have helped develop a CAD PRS that integrates information from millions of sites of common DNA variation into a single metric that can be calculated from birth and validate a scalable polygenic score framework in India. This finding lays the scientific and operational foundation for clinical implementation not just for CAD but for other diseases.

CAD PRS is a powerful genetic predictor that can be used to identify individuals at increased risk for CAD. It provides a quantified risk score based on ones genetic makeup and predicts a patients risk for having an acute coronary event, such as a heart attack, before symptoms appear. CAD PRS is an important new risk factor to help physicians stratify high-risk patients and better guide treatment decisions and lifestyle interventions, said Dr Sekar Kathiresan, CEO, Verve Therapeutics and Professor of Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Cardiology Division, Massachusetts General Hospital.

According to a research paper published in theJournal of Genetics, the estimated prevalence of CAD disease in India is about 10.5 per cent of the population which extrapolates to a burden of about 32 million affected individuals. Over and above, the incidence of cardiac disorders has increased from 2 per cent to 10.5 per cent of the urban population in the past few years and early age of onset is a new countrywide trend.

South Asians no matter where they stay in India or any other country always have higher cases of CAD than Caucasians. Even if our body structure is much leaner, smaller and thus comparatively lower food consumed compared to Caucasians, we still end up with CAD. So, it can be considered that South Asians have some genetic issue that is causing high CAD cases and hence we need to identify these genetic factors so that we are able to manage the disease in our population, said Dr Ajit Mullasari, Director, Adult Cardiology, Madras Medical Mission.

The virtual press conference and announcement was also supported by several eminent cardiologists from across the country Dr Ramesh Seshadri, Dr Julius Punnen, Dr Varun Shetty, Dr Bagirath Raghuraman from Narayana Institute of Cardiac Science, Bangalore, Dr.Pradeep Narayan, RTIIS, Kolkata, Dr Rajendra N.S, Narayana Hospital, Mysore and Dr Rajeev Gupta, EHCC Jaipur.

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Experts develop genetic risk score to predict heart disease in South Asia - Express Healthcare

Genetics

Insights on the Global Animal Genetics Market 2020-2024 | COVID-19 Analysis, Drivers, Restraints, Opportunities and Threats | Technavio – Business…

August 12, 2020 medical

LONDON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Technavio has been monitoring the animal genetics market and it is poised to grow by USD 1.79 billion during 2020-2024, progressing at a CAGR of 7% during the forecast period. The report offers an up-to-date analysis regarding the current market scenario, latest trends and drivers, and the overall market environment.

Technavio suggests three forecast scenarios (optimistic, probable, and pessimistic) considering the impact of COVID-19. Please Request Free Sample Report on COVID-19 Impact

Frequently Asked Questions-

The market is concentrated, and the degree of concentration will accelerate during the forecast period. Animal Genetics Inc., AquaGen AS, Aviagen Group, Coperatie Koninklijke CRV u.a., Genetic Veterinary Sciences Inc., Genus Plc, Hendrix Genetics BV, Neogen Corp., Topigs Norsvin, and Zoetis Inc. are some of the major market participants. To make most of the opportunities, market vendors should focus more on the growth prospects in the fast-growing segments, while maintaining their positions in the slow-growing segments.

Animal Genetics Market 2020-2024: Segmentation

Animal Genetics Market is segmented as below:

To learn more about the global trends impacting the future of market research, download a free sample: https://www.technavio.com/talk-to-us?report=IRTNTR40040

Animal Genetics Market 2020-2024: Scope

Technavio presents a detailed picture of the market by the way of study, synthesis, and summation of data from multiple sources. Our animal genetics market report covers the following areas:

This study identifies the increase in consumption of animal-derived food products as one of the prime reasons driving the animal genetics market growth during the next few years.

Animal Genetics Market 2020-2024: Vendor Analysis

We provide a detailed analysis of vendors operating in the animal genetics market, including some of the vendors such as Animal Genetics Inc., AquaGen AS, Aviagen Group, Coperatie Koninklijke CRV u.a., Genetic Veterinary Sciences Inc., Genus Plc, Hendrix Genetics BV, Neogen Corp., Topigs Norsvin, and Zoetis Inc. Backed with competitive intelligence and benchmarking, our research reports on the animal genetics market are designed to provide entry support, customer profile and M&As as well as go-to-market strategy support.

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Animal Genetics Market 2020-2024: Key Highlights

Table of Contents:

PART 01: EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

PART 02: SCOPE OF THE REPORT

PART 03: MARKET LANDSCAPE

PART 04: MARKET SIZING

PART 05: FIVE FORCES ANALYSIS

PART 06: MARKET SEGMENTATION BY SOLUTION

PART 07: CUSTOMER LANDSCAPE

PART 08: GEOGRAPHIC LANDSCAPE

PART 09: DECISION FRAMEWORK

PART 10: DRIVERS AND CHALLENGES

PART 11: MARKET TRENDS

PART 12: VENDOR LANDSCAPE

PART 13: VENDOR ANALYSIS

PART 14: APPENDIX

PART 15: EXPLORE TECHNAVIO

About Us

Technavio is a leading global technology research and advisory company. Their research and analysis focuses on emerging market trends and provides actionable insights to help businesses identify market opportunities and develop effective strategies to optimize their market positions. With over 500 specialized analysts, Technavios report library consists of more than 17,000 reports and counting, covering 800 technologies, spanning across 50 countries. Their client base consists of enterprises of all sizes, including more than 100 Fortune 500 companies. This growing client base relies on Technavios comprehensive coverage, extensive research, and actionable market insights to identify opportunities in existing and potential markets and assess their competitive positions within changing market scenarios.

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Genetics

Seattle Genetics Announces TUKYSA (tucatinib) Approved Within Months for All Countries Participating in FDA’s Project Orbis Initiative – BioSpace

August 12, 2020 medical

Aug. 12, 2020 12:00 UTC

BOTHELL, Wash.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Seattle Genetics, Inc., Inc. (Nasdaq:SGEN) today announced that Australian regulatory authorities have approved TUKYSA (tucatinib) in combination with trastuzumab and capecitabine for the treatment of patients with advanced unresectable or metastatic HER2-positive breast cancer, including patients with brain metastases, who have received one or more prior anti-HER2-based regimens in the metastatic setting. Australia joins U.S., Switzerland, Canada and Singapore that approved TUKYSA under Project Orbis, an initiative of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Oncology Center of Excellence that provides a framework for concurrent submission and review of oncology drugs among participating international regulatory agencies.

In April, TUKYSA became the first new medicine approved in the United States under Project Orbis, and its approval is currently under review in the European Union. TUKYSA is an oral, small molecule tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI) of HER2, a protein that contributes to cancer cell growth.1,2

The rapid approval of concurrent global reviews under FDAs Project Orbis for TUKYSA will allow for accelerated market entry of this new best-in-class treatment to HER2-positive breast cancer patients in need, said Clay Siegall, Ph.D., Chief Executive Officer at Seattle Genetics. As our company continues to expand globally, we look forward to bringing TUKYSA to patients around the world.

The approvals are based on results from the pivotal trial HER2CLIMB, a randomized (2:1), double-blind, placebo-controlled trial that enrolled 612 patients with HER2-positive unresectable locally advanced or metastatic breast cancer who had previously received, either separately or in combination, trastuzumab, pertuzumab, and ado-trastuzumab emtansine (T-DM1). The study results were published in The New England Journal of Medicine in December 2019. The company is pursuing a broad development strategy for TUKYSA in earlier stage HER2-positive breast cancer and other solid tumors.

About HER2-Positive Breast Cancer

Patients with HER2-positive breast cancer have tumors with high levels of a protein called human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2), which promotes the growth of cancer cells. In 2018, more than two million new cases of breast cancer were diagnosed worldwide, including nearly 523,000 in Europe.3 Between 15 and 20 percent of breast cancer cases are HER2-positive.4 Historically, HER2-positive breast cancer tends to be more aggressive and more likely to recur than HER2-negative breast cancer.5,6,7 Up to 50 percent of metastatic HER2-positive breast cancer patients develop brain metastases over time.8,9,10

About TUKYSA (tucatinib)

TUKYSA is an oral medicine that is a tyrosine kinase inhibitor of the HER2 protein. In vitro (in lab studies), TUKYSA inhibited phosphorylation of HER2 and HER3, resulting in inhibition of downstream MAPK and AKT signaling and cell growth (proliferation), and showed anti-tumor activity in HER2-expressing tumor cells. In vivo (in living organisms), TUKYSA inhibited the growth of HER2-expressing tumors. The combination of TUKYSA and the anti-HER2 antibody trastuzumab showed increased anti-tumor activity in vitro and in vivo compared to either medicine alone.11 In the U.S., TUKYSA is approved in combination with trastuzumab and capecitabine for adult patients with advanced unresectable or metastatic HER2-positive breast cancer, including patients with brain metastases (disease that has spread to the brain), who have received one or more prior anti-HER2-based regimens in the metastatic setting.

TUKYSA is approved in the U.S., Switzerland, Canada, Singapore and Australia and is under review for approval in the EU.

U.S. Important Safety Information

Warnings and Precautions

If diarrhea occurs, administer antidiarrheal treatment as clinically indicated. Perform diagnostic tests as clinically indicated to exclude other causes of diarrhea. Based on the severity of the diarrhea, interrupt dose, then dose reduce or permanently discontinue TUKYSA

Monitor ALT, AST, and bilirubin prior to starting TUKYSA, every 3 weeks during treatment, and as clinically indicated. Based on the severity of hepatoxicity, interrupt dose, then dose reduce or permanently discontinue TUKYSA.

Adverse Reactions

Serious adverse reactions occurred in 26% of patients who received TUKYSA. Serious adverse reactions in 2% of patients who received TUKYSA were diarrhea (4%), vomiting (2.5%), nausea (2%), abdominal pain (2%), and seizure (2%). Fatal adverse reactions occurred in 2% of patients who received TUKYSA including sudden death, sepsis, dehydration, and cardiogenic shock.

Adverse reactions led to treatment discontinuation in 6% of patients who received TUKYSA; those occurring in 1% of patients were hepatotoxicity (1.5%) and diarrhea (1%). Adverse reactions led to dose reduction in 21% of patients who received TUKYSA; those occurring in 2% of patients were hepatotoxicity (8%) and diarrhea (6%).

The most common adverse reactions in patients who received TUKYSA (20%) were diarrhea, palmar-plantar erythrodysesthesia, nausea, fatigue, hepatotoxicity, vomiting, stomatitis, decreased appetite, abdominal pain, headache, anemia, and rash.

Lab Abnormalities

In HER2CLIMB, Grade 3 laboratory abnormalities reported in 5% of patients who received TUKYSA were: decreased phosphate, increased ALT, decreased potassium, and increased AST. The mean increase in serum creatinine was 32% within the first 21 days of treatment with TUKYSA. The serum creatinine increases persisted throughout treatment and were reversible upon treatment completion. Consider alternative markers of renal function if persistent elevations in serum creatinine are observed.

Drug Interactions

Use in Specific Populations

For more information, please see the full Prescribing Information for TUKYSA here.

About Seattle Genetics

Seattle Genetics, Inc. is a global biotechnology company that discovers, develops and commercializes transformative cancer medicines to make a meaningful difference in peoples lives. ADCETRIS (brentuximab vedotin) and PADCEV (enfortumab vedotin-ejfv) use the companys industry-leading antibody-drug conjugate (ADC) technology. ADCETRIS is approved in certain CD30-expressing lymphomas, and PADCEV is approved in certain metastatic urothelial cancers. TUKYSA (tucatinib), a small molecule tyrosine kinase inhibitor, is approved in certain HER2-positive metastatic breast cancers. The company is headquartered in Seattle, Washington area, with locations in California, Switzerland and the European Union. For more information on our robust pipeline, visit http://www.seattlegenetics.com and follow @SeattleGenetics on Twitter.

Forward Looking Statements

Certain statements made in this press release are forward looking, such as those, among others, relating to the therapeutic potential of TUKYSA including its efficacy, safety and therapeutic uses including the potential use of TUKYSA in combination with trastuzumab and capecitabine for the treatment of patients with metastatic HER2-positive breast cancer, who have previously received two or more anti-HER2 regimens in any setting, and the potential to bring TUKYSA to patients in Australia, Canada, Singapore and Switzerland. Actual results or developments may differ materially from those projected or implied in these forward-looking statements. Factors that may cause such a difference include reimbursement processes, the extent of reimbursement, the possibility of adverse events or safety signals, the possibility that the ultimate utilization and adoption of TUKYSA by prescribing physicians may be limited, including due to impacts related to the COVID-19 pandemic, the possibility of difficulties in supplying and commercializing a new therapeutic agent, and the possibility of adverse regulatory actions. More information about the risks and uncertainties faced by Seattle Genetics is contained under the caption Risk Factors included in the companys Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended June 30, 2020 filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Seattle Genetics disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by law.

1 TUKYSA [package insert]. Bothell, WA: Seattle Genetics, Inc.2 Anita Kulukian, Patrice Lee, Janelle Taylor, et al. Preclinical Activity of HER2-Selective Tyrosine Kinase Inhibitor Tucatinib as a Single Agent or in Combination with Trastuzumab or Docetaxel in Solid Tumor ModelsMol Cancer Ther 2020;19:976-987.3 Breast. Globocan 2018. World Health Organization. 2019. https://gco.iarc.fr/today/data/factsheets/cancers/20-Breast-fact-sheet.pdf 4 Slamon D, Clark G, Wong S, et al. Human breast cancer: correlation of relapse and survival with amplification of the HER-2/neu oncogene. Science. 1987; 235(4785): 177-82.5 Loibli S, Gianni L. HER2-positive breast cancer. Lancet. 2017; 389(10087): 2415-29.6 Slamon D, Clark G, Wong S, et al. Human breast cancer: correlation of relapse and survival with amplification of the HER-2/neu oncogene. Science. 1987; 235(4785): 177-82.7 Breast Cancer HER2 Status. American Cancer Society website. https://www.cancer.org/cancer/breast-cancer/understanding-a-breast-cancer-diagnosis/breast-cancer-her2-status.html. Accessed March 9, 2020.8 Freedman RA, Gelman RS, Anders CK, et al. TBCRC 022: a phase II trial of neratinib and capecitabine for patients with human epidermal growth factor receptor 2-positive breast cancer and brain metastases. J Clin Oncol. 2019;37:1081-1089.9 Olson EM, Najita JS, Sohl J, et al. Clinical outcomes and treatment practice patterns of patients with HER2-positive metastatic breast cancer in the post-trastuzumab era. Breast. 2013;22:525-531.10 Bendell JC, Domchek SM, Burstein HJ, et al. Central nervous system metastases in women who receive trastuzumab-based therapy for metastatic breast carcinoma. Cancer. 2003;97:2972-2977.11 TUKYSA [package insert]. Bothell, WA: Seattle Genetics, Inc.

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Seattle Genetics Announces TUKYSA (tucatinib) Approved Within Months for All Countries Participating in FDA's Project Orbis Initiative - BioSpace

Genetics

OpGen Group Company Ares Genetics Demonstrates Feasibility of CLIA-compliant Next Generation Sequencing Workflow for Identification of Bacterial…

August 12, 2020 medical

Accurate identification of antibiotic resistance markers based on the ARESdb QIAGEN CLC Module leveraging Ares Genetics proprietary antibiotic resistance database

Pathogens correctly identified with 100% sensitivity and specificity, antibiotic resistance markers with >95% sensitivity and >99% specificity, respectively

Study paves the way for routine clinical diagnostic application of next-generation sequencing (NGS) in timely as well as accurate infectious disease testing and drug susceptibility prediction

VIENNA, Austria, and GAITHERSBURG, Md., Aug. 11, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Ares Genetics GmbH (Vienna, Austria; Ares Genetics), a subsidiary of OpGen, Inc. (Nasdaq: OPGN, OpGen), announced today the publication of a peer-reviewed study that demonstrates the feasibility of a highly accurate and reproducible sample-to-insight workflow for various clinical microbiology assays including the molecular identification of bacterial pathogens and their genetic markers of antibiotic resistance (Ref. 1).

The combined laboratory and bioinformatics workflow was developed following requirements of the U.S. Clinical Laboratory Improvement Act (CLIA) for laboratory-developed tests (LDTs). The bioinformatics analysis workflow leverages the QIAGEN CLC Microbial Genomics ARESdb Module for detection of antibiotic resistance (AMR) markers (Ref. 2). Powered by artificial intelligence, Ares Genetics ARESdb is a comprehensive, global and continuously updated proprietary knowledgebase on AMR markers and their diagnostic relevance. Under a license from Ares Genetics, the QIAGEN CLC Microbial Genomics ARESdb Module provides users information about diagnostic performance parameters for individual AMR markers at antibiotic compound resolution and thereby addresses a key limitation of public AMR databases (Ref. 3).

The workflow was validated in a study focused on particularly challenging and clinically prevalent multi-drug resistant ESKAPE pathogens (Enterococcus faecium, Staphylococcus aureus, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Acinetobacter baumannii, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Enterobacter cloacae) including the WHO priority 1 pathogens (Ref. 4). In this study, the workflow demonstrated >99% repeatability, reproducibility, and accuracy. Pathogens were correctly identified with 100% sensitivity and specificity, AMR markers with >95% sensitivity and >99% specificity, respectively.

Dr. Andreas Posch, CEO of Ares Genetics and corresponding author of the study, commented, This study demonstrates that next-generation sequencing in combination with a standardized bioinformatics workflow and a curated interpretation database enables a wide array of clinical microbiology assays with the performance and quality that meet the high standards required for human diagnostic use. We are very pleased to reach this important milestone in our development of universal molecular diagnostic solutions for the timely detection of pathogens and accurate prediction of antibiotic susceptibility.

Ares Genetics currently offers NGS-based clinical microbiology assays for epidemiology, infection control and research via its AI-powered bioinformatics platform ares-genetics.cloud under the brand name ARESupa - Universal Pathogenome Assay. In a recently published multi-center study, Ares Genetics demonstrated that ares-genetics.cloud can also accurately predict antibiotic susceptibility based on complex DNA signatures that are interpreted by combining ARESdb with artificial intelligence (Ref. 5). The combination of high-resolution NGS and AI-powered data interpretation can enable accurate as well as comprehensive molecular antibiotic susceptibility testing and has the potential to provide information on antibiotic therapy response much faster than current culture-based approaches.

Dr. Andreas Posch added: Highly standardized laboratory workflows like the one we realized in this study, are an important prerequisite for fast and reliable molecular solutions for pathogen identification and antibiotic susceptibility prediction in the clinical routine. They allow locally performed NGS analysis for expeditious turnaround times and cloud-based AI-powered data interpretation for clinical decision support. This enables new business models combining traditional IVD instrument and reagent business with SaaS business and hence paves the way for digital diagnostic companies like Ares Genetics.

Microbial infections and antibiotic resistance have become major healthcare challenges with rapidly spreading antimicrobial resistance estimated to have caused 700,000 deaths globally in 2016, a number that is projected to dramatically increase to 10 million deaths annually by 2050 if no countermeasures are taken (Ref. 6). While on July 9th 2020, more than 20 leading biopharmaceutical companies announced the launch of the AMR Action Fund aiming to bring two to four new antibiotics to patients by 2030, a recent white paper by Ares Genetics highlights the urgent need for novel diagnostic approaches to allow for rapid identification of causative pathogens and their susceptibility to available antibiotic options, in order to guide appropriate treatment of patients while enabling prudent and informed use of existing or future new antibiotics (Ref. 7).

The studies by Ares Genetics were supported through funding provided by the Vienna Business Agency and the Austrian Research Promotion Agency.

References

About OpGen, Inc.

OpGen, Inc. (Gaithersburg, MD, USA) is a precision medicine company harnessing the power of molecular diagnostics and bioinformatics to help combat infectious disease. Along with subsidiaries, Curetis GmbH and Ares Genetics GmbH, we are developing and commercializing molecular microbiology solutions helping to guide clinicians with more rapid and actionable information about life threatening infections to improve patient outcomes, and decrease the spread of infections caused by multidrug-resistant microorganisms, or MDROs. OpGens product portfolio includes Unyvero, Acuitas AMR Gene Panel and Acuitas Lighthouse, and the ARES Technology Platform including ARESdb, using NGS technology and AI-powered bioinformatics solutions for antibiotic response prediction.

For more information, please visit http://www.opgen.com.

Forward-Looking Statements by OpGen

This press release includes statements regarding a validation study of next-generation sequencing based tests provided by OpGens subsidiary, Ares Genetics GmbH. These statements and other statements regarding OpGens future plans and goals constitute "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and are intended to qualify for the safe harbor from liability established by the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Such statements are subject to risks and uncertainties that are often difficult to predict, are beyond our control, and which may cause results to differ materially from expectations. Factors that could cause our results to differ materially from those described include, but are not limited to, our ability to successfully, timely and cost-effectively develop, seek and obtain regulatory clearance for and commercialize our product and services offerings, the rate of adoption of our products and services by hospitals and other healthcare providers, the realization of expected benefits of our business combination transaction with Curetis GmbH, the success of our commercialization efforts, the impact of COVID-19 on the Companys operations, financial results, and commercialization efforts as well as on capital markets and general economic conditions, the effect on our business of existing and new regulatory requirements, and other economic and competitive factors. For a discussion of the most significant risks and uncertainties associated with OpGen's business, please review our filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. You are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which are based on our expectations as of the date of this press release and speak only as of the date of this press release. We undertake no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

OpGen Contact:Oliver SchachtCEOInvestorRelations@opgen.com

Press Contact:Matthew BretziusFischTank Marketing and PRmatt@fischtankpr.com

Investor Contact:Megan PaulEdison Groupmpaul@edisongroup.com

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OpGen Group Company Ares Genetics Demonstrates Feasibility of CLIA-compliant Next Generation Sequencing Workflow for Identification of Bacterial...

Genetics

Genes take side in the battle of the sexes – Science News – Deadline News

August 12, 2020 medical

Men may have a surprising genetic advantage over women, according to new research carried out at the University of St Andrews.

The study, published today inProceedings of the Royal Society Series B Biological Sciences, focused on genes that are present on the X chromosome.

These are carried by individuals of both sexes but with females typically having a double dose.

Traditionally, the over-representation of the X chromosome among females has been thought to lead to it favouring a genetic blueprint that benefits females at the expense of males.

But the St Andrews team have shown that, in many cases, the X chromosome instead sides with males in the battle of the sexes.

The research didnt specifically focus on human genetics and instead applies to all creatures that exhibit sex differences.

Across the animal kingdom males and females of the same species can differ remarkably in their size, shape, life-history and behaviour.

Males of the blanket octopus, for instance, are barely the size of the females eye, and males of the rusty tussock moth grow large ochre wings while females have tiny vestigial ones.

However, despite these striking differences, the two sexes generally share the same genome the set of genetic instructions that act as a blueprint for building an organism.

This can lead to problems, as the genome that encodes the best male might not be the one that encodes the best female, and any evolutionary advance that better serves the interests of males is likely to come at the expense of females.

This all depends on where in the genome they are found and on aspects of the species lifestyles, such as whether mums tend to be younger than dads.

Thomas Hitchcock said: The average ages of mothers and fathers in the population can also tilt the balance of genes interests in favour of one sex. If, as in humans, the average father is older than the average mother, then our model shows that this will lead almost all genes to shift their interests towards what works best for males.

Professor Andy Gardner, added: In general, these different parts of the genome will disagree about how best to balance the fitness of females against males.

This can lead to an interesting intragenomic conflict, where an individuals own genes can go to war against each other, and the fallout from that is expected to be harmful for both females and males.