Developing Sample to Insight solutions to accelerate research on growing public health threat
QIAGEN N.V. (NYSE: QGEN; Frankfurt Prime Standard: QIA) today announced a broad agreement with Ares Genetics, a subsidiary of Curetis N.V. (Euronext: CURE), to develop innovative bioinformatics and assay solutions to accelerate research targeting the growing global health challenges posed by antibiotic-resistant bacteria.
QIAGEN has acquired an exclusive license to leverage Ares Genetics' proprietary antimicrobial resistance database, ARESdb, as well as bioinformatics tools and workflows from the ARES Technology Platform, AREStools, in QIAGEN's bioinformatics products and services for researchers. QIAGEN also obtained a non-exclusive worldwide license to develop and commercialize molecular research assays using ARESdb content with QIAGEN next-generation sequencing (NGS) and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) solutions. Powered by artificial intelligence, ARESdb is likely the most comprehensive, global and continuously updated proprietary knowledge base on genetic antibiotic resistance markers and their diagnostic relevance.
"With QIAGEN as a prime supplier of industry-leading applications for the analysis and interpretation of biological data, we are well positioned to make ARESdb a key resource for cutting-edge research in the pressing healthcare issue of antimicrobial resistance," said Dr. Andreas Posch, Managing Director and CEO of Ares Genetics. "This partnership has the potential to greatly facilitate our engagement with the public health and AMR research communities in the further development and expansion of ARESdb, our database that is also core to the NGS-based diagnostic solutions currently developed by Ares Genetics."
"Antibiotic-resistant diseases are an urgent threat to public health, as resistance undermines the effective prevention and treatment of an ever-increasing range of infections. This global problem cries out for molecular insights that can lead to new understanding and therapeutic approaches. Partnering with Ares Genetics to leverage their genomic content with QIAGEN's expertise in bioinformatics, NGS and PCR technologies, we will expand our portfolio of solutions to help the global community fight these infections," said Jonathan Sheldon, Senior Vice President and head of QIAGEN Bioinformatics. QIAGEN is committed to creating best-in-class Sample to Insight solutions that help combat the global crisis in antibiotic resistant pathogens. The collaboration with ARES builds on an already broad portfolio for infectious disease research tools and adds to other AMR-related initiatives. QIAGEN will leverage the AMR database from Ares Genetics with its expertise in bioinformatics, assays and services, enabling the research community to accelerate the fight against AMR."
Antimicrobial resistance causes an estimated 700,000 deaths a year, and the toll is expected to grow. A lack of diagnostic tools and reporting makes the global impact difficult to quantify, but a recent study predicted deaths will rise to 10 million a year by 2050 if indiscriminate use of antibiotics continues, driving the growth of resistance. Already, antimicrobial resistance is making treatment difficult for a growing number of patients affected by resistant strains of pneumonia and food-borne pathogens.
The collaboration with Ares Genetics builds on QIAGEN's broad portfolio for infectious disease research. QIAGEN will integrate the ARESdb content with its CLC Genomics Workbench and build a Software-as-a-Service portal providing standardized analysis for research and enabling flexible design of assays. Together with QIAGEN's current sample preparation solutions, GeneGlobe portal and dedicated bioinformatics solutions, ARESdb will expand QIAGEN's market-leading Sample to Insight offering of workflows for research into antimicrobial resistance. QIAGEN solutions support basic and clinical research on a range of bacterial infections, including healthcare-associated and community-acquired infections.
Financial details of the partnership were not disclosed.
About QIAGEN
QIAGEN N.V., a Netherlands-based holding company, is the leading global provider of Sample to Insight solutions that enable customers to gain valuable molecular insights from samples containing the building blocks of life. Our sample technologies isolate and process DNA, RNA and proteins from blood, tissue and other materials. Assay technologies make these biomolecules visible and ready for analysis. Bioinformatics software and knowledge bases interpret data to report relevant, actionable insights. Automation solutions tie these together in seamless and cost-effective workflows. QIAGEN provides solutions to more than 500,000 customers around the world in Molecular Diagnostics (human healthcare), Applied Testing (primarily forensics), Pharma (pharma and biotech companies) and Academia (life sciences research). As of December 31, 2018, QIAGEN employed approximately 5,000 people in over 35 locations worldwide. Further information can be found at http://www.qiagen.com.
Forward-Looking Statement
Certain statements contained in this press release may be considered forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the U.S. Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the U.S. Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. To the extent that any of the statements contained herein relating to QIAGEN's products, launches, regulatory submissions, collaborations, markets, strategy, taxes or operating results, including without limitation its expected sales, adjusted net sales and adjusted diluted earnings per share results, are forward-looking, such statements are based on current expectations and assumptions that involve a number of uncertainties and risks. Such uncertainties and risks include, but are not limited to, risks associated with management of growth and international operations (including the effects of currency fluctuations, regulatory processes and dependence on logistics); variability of operating results and allocations between customer classes; the commercial development of markets for our products to customers in academia, pharma, applied testing and molecular diagnostics; changing relationships with customers, suppliers and strategic partners; competition; rapid or unexpected changes in technologies; fluctuations in demand for QIAGEN's products (including fluctuations due to general economic conditions, the level and timing of customers' funding, budgets and other factors); our ability to obtain regulatory approval of our products; difficulties in successfully adapting QIAGEN's products to integrated solutions and producing such products; the ability of QIAGEN to identify and develop new products and to differentiate and protect our products from competitors' products; market acceptance of QIAGEN's new products and the integration of acquired technologies and businesses; and the other factors discussed under the heading "Risk Factors" contained in Item 3 of our most recent Annual Report on Form 20-F. For further information, please refer to the discussions in reports that QIAGEN has filed with, or furnished to, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).
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