23andMe and mondoBIOTECH Partner to Advance Research of Rare Diseases
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23andMe, Inc. and mondoBIOTECH AG, a Swiss research company dedicated to the development of treatments for rare diseases, have announced at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, that they are collaborating to advance research of rare diseases.
The announcement marks the return of the companies to the World Economic Forum, where they both were recognized as Technology Pioneers in 2008.
23andMe and mondoBIOTECH will work together to facilitate research of the genetic bases of rare and potentially fatal diseases, such as Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension, Sarcoidosis, and Pulmonary Fibrosis, the genetics of which are poorly understood. mondoBIOTECH will identify individuals suffering from certain rare diseases and sponsor their enrollment in the 23andMe Personal Genome Service™.
Researchers then will be able to study the genetic information collected, along with any phenotypic information provided, in clinical trials, to understand potential causes of these diseases. 23andMe will coordinate genome-wide association studies for mondoBIOTECH affiliates using its research infrastructure and bioinformatics expertise.
"We are eager to take an active role in advancing research of rare genetic disorders," said Linda Avey, co-founder of 23andMe. "By partnering with our colleagues at mondoBIOTECH, a company acutely focused in this area, we'll be able to leverage the genetics and bioinformatics expertise of our science team toward better understanding of these often devastating conditions."
"For years, we have been working on behalf of neglected and underserved disease communities to help improve the lives of people with rare and fatal diseases," said Fabio Cavalli, Chief Executive Officer of mondoBIOTECH. "When we met the founders of 23andMe last year at Davos and saw what they were doing with genetics, we knew that a collaboration between the two companies could go a long way towards understanding the causes of the diseases we have been researching."
The announcement marks the return of the companies to the World Economic Forum, where they both were recognized as Technology Pioneers in 2008.
23andMe and mondoBIOTECH will work together to facilitate research of the genetic bases of rare and potentially fatal diseases, such as Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension, Sarcoidosis, and Pulmonary Fibrosis, the genetics of which are poorly understood. mondoBIOTECH will identify individuals suffering from certain rare diseases and sponsor their enrollment in the 23andMe Personal Genome Service™.
Researchers then will be able to study the genetic information collected, along with any phenotypic information provided, in clinical trials, to understand potential causes of these diseases. 23andMe will coordinate genome-wide association studies for mondoBIOTECH affiliates using its research infrastructure and bioinformatics expertise.
"We are eager to take an active role in advancing research of rare genetic disorders," said Linda Avey, co-founder of 23andMe. "By partnering with our colleagues at mondoBIOTECH, a company acutely focused in this area, we'll be able to leverage the genetics and bioinformatics expertise of our science team toward better understanding of these often devastating conditions."
"For years, we have been working on behalf of neglected and underserved disease communities to help improve the lives of people with rare and fatal diseases," said Fabio Cavalli, Chief Executive Officer of mondoBIOTECH. "When we met the founders of 23andMe last year at Davos and saw what they were doing with genetics, we knew that a collaboration between the two companies could go a long way towards understanding the causes of the diseases we have been researching."
