VHIR Selects Macrogen as Genomics Service Partner

The Vall d’Hebron Research Institute and Macrogen have signed a comprehensive Genomics service partnership agreement including Macrogen X-Genome (the Xpressway to Genome) services.

According to this agreement, Macrogen will provide various Genomics services including both the capillary sequencing service and the state-of-art next-generation sequencing (NGS) service to VHIR researchers. This agreement reinforces VHIR’ scientific and technical support services in an effort to strengthen its researcher’s capacity to discover and implement novel diagnosis and treatment measures. In this sense, VHIR’s researchers will benefit from the Macrogen-VHIR special program based on Macrogen’s comprehensive Genomics service portfolio. VHIR’s staff, composed of 1,200 researchers (mostly clinicians), is aimed to achieve a direct translation from research to applications, with the final goal of offering Vall d’Hebron Hospital patients the benefit of the most advanced knowledge. By means of this agreement, Macrogen will partner with VHIR to achieve its objective.

In fact, Macrogen is the only European provider of the Illumina HiSeq X Ten sequencing system based large-scale Human whole-genome sequencing service, also known as Macrogen’s ‘X-genome (the Xpressway to Genome)’ service. Optimized for large-scale human genome analysis projects, the HiSeq X Ten sequencing system is capable of analyzing the genomes of 16 people within 3 days for a cost of less than 1,000 dollars, giving rise to expectations that it will pave the way to a new era of human genome sequencing. In January of this year, Macrogen became the first commercial service provider to sign a preferred supply agreement for the HiSeq X Ten system with Illumina.

Whole-genome sequencing using the ‘X-Genome’ service is the most comprehensive approach to cataloging an individual’s genetic constitution in a single assay. As a result, cost-effective, highly accurate human whole-genome is poised to become a mainstay in translational medicine.

Many other NGS applications as exome sequencing, metagenomics, transcriptome sequencing, and targeted sequencing of disease-associated regions, etc. are offered by Macrogen and can now be accessed in a very convenient manner through the guidance of VHIR’ specialized staff working on the technical and scientific support Units including UAT (High Technology Unit) and UEB (Statistics and Bioinformatics Unit).

"Given that VHIR's researchers’ main efforts are dedicated to enhance citizen's health by applying the latest and more powerful therapeutics and diagnostics tools to patients, the agreement with Macrogen, specially regarding the X-Genome, will definitely be a major advance," said Dr. Joan Comella, VHIR's Director.

“Through this agreement, we can provide a variety of NGS Sequencing service to VHIR. Specially, Macrogen's X-genome service can help VHIR's efforts to translate genomics research into an improved life quality for patients," said Macrogen's CEO, Dr. Hyungtae Kim.