WCG and InformedDNA Enter Strategic Partnership

WCG (WIRB-Copernicus Group) Clinical Services Division has entered a strategic partnership with InformedDNA, the nation's largest independent provider of genetics expert services. 

Through this partnership, the companies will create the "Center for Genetics and Precision Medicine in Clinical Trials" to support biopharmaceutical companies, contract research organizations (CROs), institutions and investigator sites in the design and conduct of clinical trials that use genetics.

"Precision medicine demands that we rethink the traditional drug development process," said Donald A. Deieso, PhD, executive chairman and chief executive officer of WCG. "The disease, as well as the proposed treatment, must be carefully considered in the context of the patient’s individual genetic makeup. To that end, we are delighted to partner with InformedDNA to introduce genetic-oriented clinical trial solutions that will support our clients as they work to deliver the extraordinary promise of precision medicine."

Under the strategic partnership, WCG and InformedDNA will launch the Center for Genetics and Precision Medicine in Clinical Trials, which will unite InformedDNA’s substantial genetics resources and expertise with WCG’s global network of 550 experts in clinical trial optimization and its proprietary industry Knowledge BaseTM. The companies aim to tackle the challenges and opportunities of applying genetic information in trial and protocol design as well as harness the power of genetics to identify, recruit, and manage patients in clinical trials.

"With the rise in precision medicine, protocols have become increasingly complex," said David Nixon, chairman and chief executive officer of InformedDNA. "This complexity presents challenges in the design of clinical trials that include genetic components, but also the opportunity to uncover greater value in the process through a proper genetic focus. Through our partnership with WCG, we will teach research sponsors how to effectively apply genetic expertise to their studies so that they can derive the most value from their research."

The companies will offer a genetics and clinical development solution to optimize the design of protocols and to ensure that all genetic information is appropriately applied to study design. The solution will enable sponsors to identify hard-to-find patient populations, reduce their exposure to risk, identify broader potential therapeutic indications, and increase the overall value of each trial subject.