RainDance Technologies, Ambry Genetics Enter ADME Pact

RainDance Technologies, Inc. and Ambry Genetics have entered a collaboration focused on the development and commercialization of a comprehensive drug absorption, distribution, metabolism, and excretion (ADME) genetic screening panel for use on next-generation sequencing (NGS) systems. Financial terms were not disclosed.

The new ADME panel leverages RainDance’s primer design methods and microdroplet-based RDT 1000 platform. It’s designed to provide scientists with the capacity to perform sequence analysis of entire coding regions associated with more than 220 key drug metabolism-linked genes including transporters, receptors, regulators and all pharmacodynamics and pharmacogenetic genes, as well as all FDA-identified pharmacogenomic biomarker genes.

“Scientists interested in analyzing ADME-linked genes can now look far beyond what existing genotyping panels reveal and discover the novel chromosomal changes and rare variants associated with drug metabolism and molecular pharmacology,” said Darren Link, Ph.D., co-founder and vice president of R&D at RainDance Technologies. “Through our collaboration with Ambry Genetics, we are providing a solution that puts the most advanced ADME research tools within reach of the many research organizations focused on reducing the significant costs associated with failed drug trials and avoidable hospitalizations.”

“We are very pleased to be working closely with RainDance and to be the first service provider delivering this innovative and first-of-its-kind ADME sequencing service,” said Ardy Arianpour, vice president of business development at Ambry Genetics. “We are confident that our pharmaceutical, biotechnology and research customers will be eager to utilize this novel predictive toxicology tool to enhance their safety strategies and reduce the costs associated with performing ADME analysis across the many research projects and clinical trials that rely on these critical data.”