Genomic Expression Inc
Overview
Genomic Expression is a clear first mover in making RNA-sequencing actionable in oncology. In contrast to DNA panels we can identify markers for response to the new immune therapies as well as targeted therapies. Immune therapy is the closest we get to a cure in cancer and newly approved drugs have created a lot of exitment in the market.
For the first we can be optimistic that we will win the war on cancer! Not by a magic bullet drug, but by genetically matching the tumor to a drug that actually works. Furthermore, new immune therapies, that train the patients own immune system to kill the cancer, have demonstrated prolonged disease free progression which is as close as we get to a cure. OneRNA™ identifies targets for immune and targeted therapies by sequencing RNA.
The OneRNA report provides a clinically actionable summary of the tumor expression profile. Key findings, such as overexpression of druggable cancer driver genes and underexpression of DNA repair genes, are listed on the first page of the report and described in greater detail in subsequent pages. The report also lists active clinical trials matched to the tumor expression profile, and provides references to support each gene-therapy linkage.
Case Study
A 41-year-old woman diagnosed with triple-negative breast cancer. Our analysis of her tumor expression profile uncovered:
• 1 drug approved for breast cancer
• 5 drugs approved for other cancers, including one
novel immune therapy being tested in an ongoing
breast cancer clinical trial
• 30 active clinical trials: immune therapies (11),
checkpoint inhibitors (6), and targeted therapies including PARP inhibitors (13)
Some key events/accomplishments:
• Raised +$6M in grants to validate OneRNA™ in several cancers
• Opened lab in Boston: Sequencing capacity 5000 tests/year
• Concluded payer and regulatory strategy and started CLIA certification
• Top placement in Women’s Founders Network, XTC (Richard Branson), Molecular Tri-Conference, Red Herring, MedTech Innovator
• Reinvented the business model: turned the expense of validating OneRNA™ into revenue
Our Current investors include:
1) Seattle Women’s Impact Fund (lead)
2) Pipeline Angels
3) Founder of Biogen (biotech royalty, hall of fame)
4) CSO and cofounder of genomics company in Boston (phd in genetics from Harvard & entrepreneur)
5) A family office in New York