GENOMED SA CELEBRATES ITS 15TH ANNIVERSARY

Genomed SA has just celebrated its 15th anniversary and announced the implementation of the preventive human genome testing service.
Prophylactic Genome is the most comprehensive genetic test, which was made possible thanks to many years of R&D activities of the company.
Genomed SA has been operating for 15 years, providing DNA and RNA sequencing and analysis services, DNA synthesis and genetic diagnostics, including prenatal testing. Its services are used by over a thousand research units, universities, companies, clinics in Poland and EU.

GENOMED S.A.

is an innovative Polish company founded by a group of scientists with years of experience and significant achievements in the field of genomics, which have been documented with numerous publications in international journals, including two in Nature. The company founders have been involved in this new research area since its beginnings, starting from the Yeast Genome Sequencing Project, and have simultaneously gained vast experience in commercializing the results of their scientific work. In the years 2000-2007, they developed and ran a core facility specializing in DNA sequencing and synthesis – at the time, the biggest service of this kind in Poland – and finally decided to create a company of their own. The investment of the venture capital company (MCI.BioVentures), obtained in 2008, allowed us to fully equip the laboratory (including the purchase of high-throughput sequencers and a DNA synthesizer) and to create the  initial  diagnostic offer. Further development of Genomed SA was possible thanks to the effective obtaining grants and funding from EU and national funds for the implementation of R&D projects.

GENOMED TEAM

is a unique group, which assembles outstanding molecular biologists and genetic diagnosticians, bioinformaticians, clinical geneticists, together with scientific and medical representatives, supported by the Supervisory Board with extensive business experience. The company's team, in addition to ongoing service for clients from the science and industry sector and patients, is constantly developing its own methodology, databases and software for personalised genomics.

COMPANY DEVELOPMENT

Activities in the field of genetic diagnostics became possible thanks to the establishment in 2009 of the Non-Public Health Care Center (NZOZ) Genomed and of the genetic counseling unit.

Currently, Genomed provides services that comprise DNA sequencing and analysis, as well diagnostics of congenital diseases, based on newest genomic technonogies, for more than 300 scientific centers, biotechnological companies and medical institutions. Among our clients are all the eminent scientific and medical Polish centers.

Every new year is witness to an improvement in the company’s financial results. Genomed is the only company operating in the field of DNA analysis technology that has made a profit already in the third year of its activity. On the 30th of December 2010, Genomed was transformed from a limited liability company into a joint-stock one. In March 2011, the company successfully carried out a private offer and acquired 3 million PLN from investors. Genomed celebrated its debut on the NewConnect market on the 30th of May 2011.
Genomed invested the financial means, gained as a result of the new emission, in the further development and implementation the most up-to-date genomic technology for the purposes of genetic diagnostics.

Financial results

OUR AIMS

The company develops molecular diagnostics based on DNA sequencing in response to an ever greater demand for a service that enables the application of prophylactics and treatments such as replacement or gene therapy. The technology implemented and developed by Genomed enables us to sequence the whole human genomed and analyse any of almost 7,000 genes correlated with congenital diseases. With such a wide offer, our company ranks among the best of the world’s establishments for genetic diagnostics.

The present-day activities of the company are focused on introducing genomic technology to personalised medicine, a new sector in health care services based on a complete knowledge of the DNA sequence of a patient’s genome – some 6 billion letters of genetic code.  The individual genome record thus obtained will serve as the basis for diagnostics and preventive health care, as well as for enzyme replacement, gene therapy and genome editing.

Genomed was the first diagnostic laboratory to implement Next Generation Sequencing (NGS) to the diagnostic practice,  initially pyrosequencing (first GS Junior system in Poland in 2013), then sequencing by synthesis  (Illumina), being the first private company in Poland to purchase Personal MiSeq Sequencer. Currently, the company owns a set of Illumina sequencers and relies on services of certified NGS providers for larger projects, depending on customer’s and project requirements.

OUR OFFER

Diagnostic services: samples of venous or capillary blood or saliva constitute the biological material used in most tests. The basic service offered by Genomed comprises DNA isolation, the PCR amplification and Sanger sequencing of chosen DNA regions, the comparison of the sequences with a database to identify potential mutations, and finally the interpretation of the results by a licensed diagnostician. In 2013 our offer was broadened by the addition of Next Generation Sequencing (NGS)-based gene panels and diagnostic exome analysis as well  as non-invasive genetic prenatal testing, offered in collaboration with BGI Dx in the years 2015-2018.  Since Septermber 2018 Genomed has been performing the SANCO test, based on a proven and accurate sequencing technology from Illumina, the world leader in next-generation sequencing. The test has a CE IVD certificate for the entire workflow and is performed in a new, fully automatised laboratory.

The company has obtained international certificates from EMQN (European Molecular Quality Network) and Cystic Fibrosis Network, which attest to the high quality of our services. The NZOZ Genomed laboratory is part of the Reference Laboratories Network of the Polish Society of Human Genetics and is registered on the list of laboratories created by the National Chamber of Laboratory Diagnosticians under number 2854.

Service for scientific purposes: Genomed offers all types of DNA sequence analysis, such as polymorphism analysis (“Gene Scan”) or the sequencing of phage genetic material or bacteria and yeast genomes. Furthermore, the company carries out projects at each scale – from DNA isolation, through designing DNA primers and PCR conditions to large NGS-based genome and transcriptome analyses.

OUR STRATEGY

is based on adapting highly advanced technologies, not limited to DNA sequencing, to the needs of an individual customer. We focus on providing diagnostic services at low cost and with an ever increasing amount of information, obtained due to using the most modern technologies of DNA sequencing and analysis.

In 2008, we succeeded in obtaining co-financing from a venture capital company (MCI.BioVentures), which allowed us to fully equip our laboratory and to develop our diagnostic offer. The funds acquired from investors in frame of the private offer at**the NewConnect market allowed for  further investments in our laboratories, with the special focus on the NGS lab, opened in 2012.
The collaboration with BGI Dx was transformed on June 3rd 2014 into the strategic partnership leading to the prospective NIFTY technology transfer. The technology transfer was accomplished in June 2015 and the NIFTY test is currently performed entirely in the new, high-throughput laboratory of Genomed SA.


In October 2009, Genomed acquired a subsidy from the European Regional Development Fund – Innovative Economy (POIG 1.4.-4.1.) and is presently carrying out a project co-financed by the European Regional Development Fund – Innovative Economy, entitled “The Application of the Technology of Whole Human Genome Sequencing in Medical Diagnostics.” The second project co-financed by the European Regional Development Fund – Innovative Economy, entitled “Application of Molecular Diagnostics in the Development of Personalized Medicine,” was started in July 2012.

In the years 2013-2016 Genomed carried out the project "Polish Reference Genome for Genomic Diagnostics and Personalised Medicine", co-financed by the National Centre for Research and Development (NCBiR) within the INNOTECH programme, In-Tech programme path.
The project’s objective was to establish a reference database for the Polish Caucasian subpopulation on the assumption of a close cooperation with the best institutes in Poland in the field of molecular biology and medicine. This goal has been fully achieved - the result is the database based on the whole genome sequences of 126 healthy, long-lived (90+) Poles. It contains a rich set of clinical and biochemical data and is available on a commercial basis.

Within the strategic programme "Prevention practices and treatment of civilization diseases" – STRATEGMED, since September 2014, Genomed has been participating in the implementation of the project co-financed by the National Centre for Research and Development (NCBiR): "Innovative strategy for diagnostics, prevention and adiuvant therapy of selected neurodegenerative disorders in population of Polish ancestry".

In the years 2010-2015 Genomed, together with the Polish-Japanese Institute of Information Technology and with the Institute of Oncology, jointly implemented a project of Ph.D. studies in bioinformatics developed under the Human Capital Operational Program that aimed at educating a new personnel of bioinformaticians specialising in genomic data analysis.

The Company received funding for the project "Development of methods of non-invasive genetic diagnostics and cancer prevention – liquid biopsy" in the period of 01.10.2016-30.09.2018, within Regional Operational Programme of the Mazowieckie Voivodeship 2014-2020, Priority axis 1 Use of research and development activity in economy, Measure 1.2 R&D activity of enterprises.
The subsidy granted is intended for the development of non-invasive genetic diagnostics and cancer prevention methods, based on the liquid biopsy - analysis of an innovative biomarker in the form of cell-free tumour DNA, using the new generation sequencing technology (NGS). Tests, elaborated by Genomed, will enable monitoring the course of cancer and its treatment, as well as early detection of neoplastic diseases.

AWARDS FOR GENOMED

In November 2010, Genomed entered into the semifinal of Eurocan European Venture Contest and received the Everesty 2010 award, granted by MCI Management, in the category of the Most Dynamic Development.

In May 2011 Genomed S.A. received the Master of Business award in the category of Innovation.

In 2017, the president of the management board of Genomed S.A., Anna Boguszewska-Chachulska, gained the 2nd place in the first "10" of the most enterprising women in the category of companies below PLN 50 million turnover per year.

The laureates of the "100 Business Women" ranking, organised by the publisher of business daily „Puls Biznesu”, are evaluated on the basis of criteria proving a sustainable development and an excellent condition of the companies they manage. In addition to the measurable criteria, such as the dynamics of profit and sales for the last two years of operation, it is also taken into account: professional ethics, the good reputation of the company or exerting a positive influence on the business environment – criteria which are not included in the company's balance sheets and which are equally important.

The 2nd place in the ranking is primarily the recognition of financial results achieved by Genomed S.A. - the prize is therefore a success of the entire management team and employees of the Company.