illumina
under construction
under construction
illumina
About: An international company with its headquarters in San Diego, California, Illumina is a “leading developer, manufacturer, and marketer of life science tools and integrated systems for large-scale of genetic variation and function” [I-I1].
What Illumina Does: Using sequencing and array technologies, Illumina sequences genes and is a leader of DNA sequencing, “generat[ing] 90 percent of all DNA sequence data today” [I-I2]. The sequencing and array technologies created by Illumina fuels the advancements in life science research, translational and consumer genomics, and molecular diagnostics [I-I3]. To learn more about Illumina’s process of sequencing, view the video on the left [I-V1].
Relation with Genomics and Precision Medicine: In regards to a specific sector of precision medicine, Illumina advanced the use of genomics in precision oncology. In 2017, Illumina provided “more than 8,000 association of somatic genetic alterations‒ variants linked to tumors‒ to the Clinical Interpretation of Variants in Cancer (CIViC) resource… that can be used in precision medicine” [I-I4]. As the largest donor, Illumina helped fuel the research the laboratories could perform with precision oncology. With its developing technology, Illumina opens doors for more complex disease research to occur.
Click Here to Learn More >
genentech
About: Founded in 1976 by Robert A. Swanson and Dr. Herbert W. Boyer, Genentech, now a part of the Roche Group [I-I6], is a biotechnology company that “discovers, develops, manufactures and commercializes medicines to treat patients with serious or life-threatening medical conditions” [I-I7]. With multiple sites across the United States, its headquarters are located in San Francisco, California [I-I5]. View the video on the right to learn more about Genentech [I-V2].
What Genentech Does: Viewing themselves as drug discovers, Genentech strives to discover "transformative medicines for people who need them" [I-I8]. With multiple products on the market, Genentech branches out to many sectors of medicine and biology: Biooncology, Immunology and Ophthalmology, Metabolism & Primary Care, Neurology, Virology & Specialty Care, etc [I-I9].
Relation With Computational Biology and Precision Medicine: In the late 1900s, Genentech developed Herceptin, an example of precision medicine which targets the HER2 protein correlated with breast cancer [I-I10]. Since then, the biotech company has received approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, treated more than two million patients worldwide, and created more medicine for patients. Currently, one of Genentech’s projects includes working with Germany’s BioNTech to “develop such personalized vaccines for cancer patients… [each] based on the unique deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) of a patient’s tumor” [I-I11].
Click Here to Learn More >
ibm watson health
About: Founded by the work at IBM Research with Artificial Intelligence, IBM Watson health was launched in April 2015. Known for combining technology with the medical field, Watson Health is a “combination of data, cloud, and AI services that build cognitive offerings for partners and clients” [I-I12]. The video to the left describes how Watson is influencing the medical field positively, specifically accelerating drug discovery, derisking of financial requirements, and getting treatments to patients faster [I-V3].
What IBM Watson Health Does: IBM Watson health "solve[s] some of the world’s most pressing health challenges through data, analytics, and AI” [I-I12]. IBM Watson Health combines human experts with augmented intelligence to better the healthcare in multiple fields: Oncology, Genomics, Clinical Trial Matching, and Drug Discovery.
Relation with Computation Biology, Genomics, and Precision Medicine: Watson for Genomics, a specific sector of IBM Watson Health, “enables molecular pathology laboratories to scale their precision programs to meet the existing and growing needs of personalized cancer care” by using AI to extract data to continuously grow its knowledge base [I-I13]. Working with Illumina, the two companies rely on each other to enable precision cancer medicine on a much larger scale with rapid genomic alteration results [I-I14]. With regards to computational biology, IBM Watson Health performs research in Plant Genomics, Population Genomics, Cancer Genomics, TDA (Topological Data Analysis), Meta-omics, and Pattern Discovery subject fields [I-I15].
Relation with Computational Biology and Precision Medicine: Amgen's use of biotechnology has “opened the door to new types of medicine based on nature’s own building blocks” [I-I20]. By building an array of drug modalities, Amgen continuously finds the best tools for the best target to be applied for patients facing illnesses, the underlying idea of precision medicine. From its partnership with GNS Healthcare, the companies strive to transform medicine and healthcare through data and AI. This path allows for more accurate, better matching drugs, improving health outcomes, slowing disease progressions, and lowering the costs of care [I-I21].
under construction
amgen
About: Amgen, initially established in Thousand Oaks, California on April 8, 1980, is a biotechnology company [I-I16]. Using advanced technology and science, Amgen studies the biological mechanisms to “improve the lives of those who suffer from serious diseases” [I-I17].
What Amgen Does: Amgen creates medicine to treat serious illnesses, addressing a limited number of treatment options [I-I18]. The company’s therapeutics helps millions of people around the world in the fight against “cancer, kidney disease, rheumatoid arthritis, and other serious illnesses,” taking part in the discovery, development, manufacture, and delivery of human therapeutics [I-I19]. The video linked to the right further describes the impact Amgen makes on society [I-V4].
biogen
About: Gathered in Geneva, Switzerland, in 1978, a group of scientists created Biogen, a “pharmaceutical company with an emphasis on breakthroughs in biology” [I-I22]. Since the establishment of Biogen, they have worked to developed innovative and important medicine for serious illnesses. The company plays a role in “advancing the field of biotechnology and helping patients” [I-I22].
What Biogen Does: Believing that defeating neuroscience is the most important, “Biogen discovers, develops, and delivers worldwide innovative therapies for people living with serious neurological and neurodegenerative diseases” [I-I23]. The company’s research is focused around three core areas: Multiple Sclerosis (MS), Neurogeneration, and Rare Genetic Diseases [I-I24]. View the video to the left for more information about Biogen [I-V5].
Relation with Computational Biology and Precision Medicine: With specific regards to multiple sclerosis (MS), Biogen is “driving advances toward precision medicine by using new technologies to develop innovative programs and tools to better understand, measure and manage the treatment of MS” [I-I25]. This allows for doctors to make better evidence-based, individualized treatment decisions tailored to specific people [I-I24]. Overall, Biogen believes the new triad for precision medicine is with wearable technology, AI, and Biology [I-I26].
Relation with Computational Biology, Genomics, and Precision Medicine: Precision medicine plays an integral part in Merck’s development strategy. One specific example is when they performed a study with patients who had a different types of cancer yet carried a unique mutation in their DNA repair gene. The Merck Research Laboratories recognized how those patients responded well to Keytruda, a drug “on the basis of a genetic alteration in cancer rather than a particular cancer type” [I-I30].
About: Created in 1891, Merck & Co. was established in the US. Since then, Merck’s researchers have been finding new ways to treat and prevent illnesses for humans and animals. This led them to the discovery of vitamin B1, to the first vaccine for measles, to cold remedies and antacids, to the first statins used to treat high cholesterol. Today, they are focused on making advancements within “hepatitis C, HIV, diabetes, and immuno-oncology” [I-I27]. View the video to the right to know more about Merck [I-V6].
What Merck Does: A global healthcare company, Merck “delivers innovative health solutions through its prescription medicines, vaccines, biological therapies, and animal health products” [I-I28]. Merck’s pipeline includes three categories: Biologics, Small Molecule, and Vaccine. In addition, there is a vast variety of therapeutic areas: Cardiovascular Diseases, Diabetes and Endocrinology, Infectious Diseases, Neurosciences, Oncology, Respiratory and Immunology, Vaccines, and Women’s Health [I-I29].
merck
Relation with Precision Medicine: “Janssen is committed to focusing the best science on the discovery and development of data-driven treatments as unique as each individual” [I-I34]. Not only will this allow future treatments to be tailored to specific people, they will work more effectively and people will have a better results. Developing this new model of precision medicine, Janssen strives to make the future of medicine more precise. View the video on the left to learn more about Janssen’s vision for Precision Medicine [I-V7].
janssen
About: Starting in 1953 in Beerse, a Belgium town, Dr. Paul Janssen established Janssen Pharmaceutica, a research laboratory. Later, Janssen Pharmaceutica merged with Cilag (Chemical Industry Laboratory AG), founded by Dr. Joos in 1936, to become Janssen [I-I31]. Today, Janssen is a pharmaceutical company of Johnson & Johnson that strives to “prevent, treat, cure and stop some of the most devastating and complex diseases of our time” [I-I32].
What Janssen Does: Headquartered in Titusville, New Jersey, Janssen discovers, develops, and commercializes treatments for people. Currently, they focus on six therapeutic areas: Cardiovascular & Metabolism, Immunology, Infectious Diseases & Vaccines, Neuroscience, Oncology, and Pulmonary Hypertension. Janssen is committed to “providing safe and effective medicines as well as the services and support that contribute to healthy outcomes” [I-I33].
About: Founded in 1849 by two cousins Charles Pfizer and Charles Erhart, Pfizer was established in Brooklyn, New York [I-I35]. For more than 150 years, Pfizer strives to create medicines and vaccines, health care products to extend and improve people’s lives. Often times, Pfizer collaborates with other health care providers, governments, and local communities to expand their reliable, affordable health care around the world [I-I36].The video on the right further describes Pfizer's goal [I-V8].
pfizer
Relation with Precision Medicine: Pfizer focuses on Precision Medicine “as an approach to discovering and developing medicines and vaccines that deliver superior outcomes for patients, by integrating clinical and molecular information to understand the biological basis of disease” [I-I38]. For instance, in 2017, IBM Watson Health and Pfizer collaborated to utilize IBM Watson for Drug Discovery to help accelerate Pfizer’s research in immuno-oncology. With Watson, Pfizer can identify new drug targets, combine therapies for study, and strategize patient selection in immuno-oncology [I-I35]. Ultimately, Pfizer is committed to discovering and developing medicine with precision medicine approaches. This will lead to more meaningful treatments and an increase in success rates [I-I39].