Royal Philips and Illumin Inc. announced a strategic collaboration that aims to integrate Illumina’s sequencing systems for large-scale analysis of genetic variation and function and Philips’ IntelliSpace Genomics clinical informatics platform, and to coordinate marketing and sales of the resulting solutions. Philips and Illumina will also seek to engage in clinical research collaborations with health systems in the U.S. that want to develop precision medicine programs in oncology.
Profiling tumors using genomic information is critical for complex cancer cases, and next-generation DNA sequencing—the process of rapidly profiling large sections of the genome in parallel to find mutations—is increasingly being used for this. However, challenges remain in developing ways to rapidly and accurately interpret genomic findings in the context of a patient’s condition.
While cancer patients can have hundreds of gene variants in their tumors, only a small number may actually drive the individual’s specific cancer or may have actionable therapeutic implications for a particular patient. The patient’s history, related lab tests and cancer type are needed for a meaningful interpretation of the genomic data.
Philips and Illumina will collaborate to provide new solutions aimed at the acquisition, analysis, annotation, and interpretation of genomics data in oncology cases. The data will be acquired by Illumina’s BaseSpace Sequence Hub connected to its instruments and will be processed through Philips’ IntelliSpace Genomics solution for oncology. This solution will combine data from multiple sources—radiology, immunohistochemistry, digital pathology, medical records and lab tests—and will deliver a consolidated dashboard view. This system will support researchers to develop insights more efficiently and will ultimately support lowering the cost of health care delivery and improved health outcomes.
The two companies intend to collaborate on system integration, cohort analysis and health economics applications, and future research programs. Laboratories adopting the solution will be able to integrate sequencing data with information from multiple data sources (e.g., imaging, pathology and laboratory). The Illumina-Philips solution will also give them ready access to advanced analytics, deep learning technologies and available reference literature, guidelines, and evidence in a single view.
