CRO giant Icon is partnering with Saphetor, which specializes in large-scale identification and interpretation of human genetic variants, to develop new approaches for clinical trials focused on precision medicine and rare diseases.
As part of the collaboration, the two sides will look at ways to leverage Saphetor’s VarSome.com platform related to the epidemiology, prevalence and location trends of genetic mutations to support patient recruitment and trial strategies, according to an Oct. 17 press release. Financial terms of the agreement weren’t disclosed.
Saphetor boasts the platform has users in more than 150 countries, covering six continents.
Dublin-based Icon and Saphetor, which is based in Lausanne, Switzerland, hope to provide an easier path for healthcare practitioners to get up-to-date information about relevant diseases and opportunities for patients to participate in trials and studies.
Icon announced in September that it had been picked by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority to conduct a clinical trial to evaluate next-generation vaccines for COVID-19. The trial is part of Project NextGen, which connects the U.S. government and the private sector to advance vaccines and therapeutics from clinical trials.