Ambry Genetics

Ambry Genetics — the American company founded in 1999 specializing in genetic researches. Its headquarters is located in California. Ambry Genetics makes genetic  researches  and the analysis  of genetic information for screening of diseases, in particular oncological.

2019: Konica Minolta joined a global research of oncological genes

On July 1, 2019 the Konica Minolta company announced conclusion of an agreement with the University of UTokyo and the National oncological center of Japan (NCC) for a research and developments of the onkogenny panel Todai OncoPanel (TOP) test. Within scientific cooperation the company is going to develop the direction of the personalized medicine in Japan thanks to opportunities of screening of new generation.

The agreement will allow to integrate experience and global technologies of gene diagnostics of the American company Ambry Genetics Corporation (AG) with TOR test opportunities. It will help to improve data processing of TOR and to develop a revolutionary end-to-end system.

The test of a gene panel with advanced functionality of TOR includes the DNA panel with a set of onkogenny somatic gene mutations and also the RNA panel for detection of hybrid genes.

Professor Hiruki Aburatani from Research center of perspective UTokyo technologies together with professor Hiruki Mano, the head of Cell Informatics, NCC will head research and development. Hiruki Mano will participate in a research for perspective development of the RNA analysis. Professors Aburatani and Mano are also the main developers of the TOR panel.

Konica Minolta is going to be engaged in improvement of quality control of medical researches and development of high-precision methods of a parallel research which purpose – to define predisposition to oncological diseases on the basis of a panel of genes. Genes not only the struck fabrics, but also healthy cells are considered. Thanks to a parallel research more exact determination of mutations of the genes specific to the struck fabrics and also identification and assessment of the mutations causing hereditary tumors became possible.

Also Konica Minolta aims to create full-fledged national service of the gene analysis and to organize commercial laboratory in Japan for carrying out researches on the basis of the developed panel. The laboratory will provide to doctors full-fledged service of the gene analysis and also will expand the register of information on a cancer genome of the Japanese Center of Genomics and perspective therapy of oncological diseases (Center for Cancer Genomics and Advanced Therapeutics, C-CAT).

Konica Minolta, UTokyo and NCC will be able to make a contribution to studying of the inherited mutations unique for the population of Japan; development of the innovation methods of treatment and diagnosis of oncological diseases, creation of new drugs and quality improvement of life of patients. Also partnership will promote restriction of growth of medical expenses.

"We are very glad to combine efforts with the University of Tokyo and the National oncological center of Japan at research and development of the Todai OncoPanel panel. At our disposal all opportunities of Ambry Genetics, American company in the field of genetic researches and the analysis and also Invicro, the supplier of services for support of search of new drugs using artificial intelligence technologies. We believe that Konica Minolta can play an important role in improvement of a system of genomic medicine for fight against oncological diseases in Japan", noted Kiotaka Fudzhi, the senior vice president, the chief executive and the president of Global Healthcare, Konica Minolta

The Todai OncoPanel (TOP) panel includes panels of sequencing of DNA and RNA (DNA and RNA hybridisation capture-based next-generation sequencing panels). It was approved in October, 2018 due to the need of the platform for identification of onkogenny factors and standardization of molecular profiling of tumors for treatment of oncological patients.

The method of search of target genes under the name junction capture method was developed for a RNA panel research. It allows precisely and without excess costs to define 677 hybrid genes without "wrong" transcripts. The TOP RNA panel allows to measure profiles of an expression of 125 additional genes. The TOP DNA panel was created for detection of one-nucleotide variations and existence/lack of 478 genes that allows to define mutations, to calculate the probability of developing of a tumor, to define microsatellite instability, and as a result to define number of copies of chromosomes.

2017: Konica Minolta buys Ambry Genetics

On July 6, 2017 the Japanese producer of the printing equipment of Konica Minolta announced Ambry Genetics purchase. The cost of the transaction will be up to $1 billion.

The Reuters agency calls this acquisition the largest in the history of Konica Minolta and connects it with attempts of the company to diversify business outside the market of office equipment. Ten years before Konica Minolta contracted release of cameras.

Buying Ambry Genetics, the Konica Minolta company makes the largest acquisition in the history

Purchase of Ambry Genetics will be partially financed by the Japanese public investment fund Innovation Network Corp of Japan (INCJ). More precisely, 40% of expenses, on a share of Konica Minolta — 60% will fall to the share of the last.

Konica Minolta will pay $800 million means right after closing of the transaction. $200 million more will be transferred within two years, at the same time the final amount can be less as will depend on financial performance of Ambry Genetics as a part of the new owner.

According to the statement of Konica Minolta, advanced technologies of visualization which are developed by the company will be complemented with opportunities of genetic diagnostics of Ambry Genetics. The first stage of joint business development is going to be devoted to questions of hereditary transfer of oncological diseases.

Having integrated with Ambry, we will have the most full range of diagnostic technologies for genetic and biochemical mapping — the president and the CEO of Konica Minolta Shoei Yamana noted.[1]

Notes