Oxford BioDynamics Signs Supply and Resale Agreement With Agilent Technologies, and Launches EpiSwitch® Explorer Array Kit
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Oxford BioDynamics Plc (AIM: OBD, the Company), a biotechnology company developing precision medicine tests for personalized healthcare based on the EpiSwitch® 3D genomics platform, and Agilent Technologies (NYSE: A), a global leader in the life sciences, diagnostics, and applied chemical markets, have signed a supply and resale agreement for the manufacture and sale of the new EpiSwitch® Explorer Array Kit (“Kit”).
Under the terms of the agreement, Agilent will supply a custom-made SurePrint G3 CGH Microarray for the Kit, incorporating OBD’s proprietary 3D genome probes. OBD has exclusive rights for supply and distribution of the Kit.
Harnessing the strengths of Agilent’s microarray technology and OBD’s 3D genomic recognition algorithms, the EpiSwitch® Explorer Array Kit provides results at a high throughput, with high resolution in a fraction of the time. The Kit simultaneously interrogates almost 1 million 3D genomic sites, providing over ten times more high-value data points than conventional, costly, time-consuming methods of detection, which are limited by high noise to signal ratio. This creates a highly reproducible, unbiased map, which can be used to identify, evaluate, or monitor 3D genomic biomarkers.
The newly launched Kit, which is for research use only, will enable a new level of whole genome screening, biomarker discovery, and profiling of the 3D genome. It can assist researchers by analyzing the genome’s 3D architecture and the crucial role it plays in gene regulation.
Improved understanding of the 3D genome could have a significant impact on patient diagnosis, prognosis of disease response, and determination of treatment options. The global epigenetics market size is expected to reach over $22 billion by 2025, with the kits segment anticipated to experience the greatest growth (>20% CAGR), driven by this need for biomarker development and accurate detection for personalized medicine.
The EpiSwitch® platform has already been used to develop the recently launched COVID-19 Severity Test, EpiSwitch® CST. Further tests are being developed in other areas including immuno-oncology response, rheumatoid arthritis and prostate cancer.
Dr Jon Burrows, CEO of Oxford BioDynamics, said: “EpiSwitch® is already well validated in pharma biomarker discovery and has proven capable of stratifying patients for many biological indications. OBD has previously announced the expansion of its strategic focus to bring the platform to the precision medicine market, starting with the launch of our COVID-19 Severity Test and the upcoming launch of an IO test. Alongside this strategy, we are keen that our technology and knowledgebase are made available for research and development by academic and clinical researchers worldwide.”
He added: “Partnering with industry leader, Agilent, gives important third-party validation to our technology and working together will strengthen the commercial offering of our EpiSwitch® Explorer Array Kit to the global research community.” Kevin Meldrum, VP/GM of Agilent Genomics said: “Agilent is the premier provider of custom microarrays and we are excited to secure this partnership with Oxford BioDynamics demonstrating how arrays can enable the development of new technologies, such as EpiSwitch®, beyond gene expression and CGH.”
To accompany the Explorer Array Kit, OBD will also provide access to their online EpiSwitch® Portal to enable array data analytics and provide biological context for readouts. This Portal comprises of two applications:
- The EpiSwitch® Analytical Portal (EAP) – to enable statistical analysis of 3D-array data with a wide range of tools
- The EpiSwitch® Data Portal (EDP) – to provide options to map data to the genome, allowing integration of analysis with other data types (SNPs, Hi-C, ATAC-Seq Chip-Seq, RNA-Seq, etc.) and biological interpretation
