GeneCentric Therapeutics Acquires Select ImmunoGenomics to Advance Precision Oncology and Biomarker-Driven Cancer Therapies

On August 15, 2019, VCBeat (WeChat ID: vcbeat) learned that GeneCentric Therapeutics, a provider of RNA-based genomic solutions, had acquired Select ImmunoGenomics, a Chapel Hill, North Carolina-based company specializing in immunogenomics, data analytics, and biomarker development. Following the acquisition, GeneCentric Therapeutics will possess a comprehensive, integrated suite of RNA-based solutions designed to advance oncology drug development by identifying patients suitable for specific therapies, thereby improving response rates and tolerability, and ultimately enhancing patient outcomes. The financial terms of the transaction were not disclosed.

Under the leadership of Dr. Michael Milburn, CEO and President, and Dr. Myla Lai-Goldman, Founder and Executive Chairman, GeneCentric’s technology is designed to decipher the complexities of tumor biology and identify patient populations likely to respond to specific therapies, thereby enabling the development of precision anticancer drugs for these groups. The company is commercializing its technology through strategic collaborations with pharmaceutical, biotechnology, and diagnostics companies, applying it across preclinical testing, clinical drug development, and commercial lifecycle stages.

Benjamin Vincent, an expert in computational immunogenomics, and Dr. Joel Parker, an expert in genomics and data science, both researchers at the University of North Carolina, co-founded Select ImmunoGenomics. Select ImmunoGenomics provides services to clients in research institutions, diagnostic organizations, and pharmaceutical development companies. Following the acquisition, Vincent and Parker will serve as advisors to GeneCentric.

Dr. Benjamin Vincent, Co-Founder of Select ImmunoGenomics, stated, “GeneCentric’s strengths in bioinformatics and RNA-based informatics align perfectly with our capabilities. Although immunotherapy has revolutionized cancer treatment, most patients still do not benefit from it. A major challenge in this field is determining which drugs will benefit which patients. We plan to integrate computational genomics and systems biology approaches to address this challenge and apply genomics to develop more effective cancer therapies.”

GeneCentric Therapeutics, headquartered in North Carolina’s Research Triangle Park, is a provider of RNA-based genomic solutions. GeneCentric’s initial approach leveraged its Cancer Subtype Platform (CSP®) to decipher the complexities of tumor biology and generate genomic signatures. This method yields high-resolution cancer subtypes with the potential to serve as universal biomarkers for predicting susceptibility to immunotherapies, targeted therapies, and other treatment modalities.

Select ImmunoGenomics is a biotechnology company headquartered in Chapel Hill that provides services such as data analysis and predictive modeling to support genomic research, biomarker development, and biomarker validation.

(Compiled by Tian Shuhang)