Tute Genomics said today it has acquired the human-genome interpretation company Knome for an undisclosed price.
Co-founded by George Church, Ph.D., Knome provides human genome interpretation systems and services designed to help researchers, drug developers, and clinicians determine the genetic basis of human disease and drug response.
Knome says its big-data technologies are intended to advance precision medicine by speeding up and industrializing the process of interpreting whole genomes. Most famously, Knome provided genome sequencing and interpretation to Ozzy Osbourne and other high profile early adopters.
Knome's most valuable technology is knoSYS, a best-in-class genome interpretation software platform now in its third generation of development, having originally been conceived as genome analysis software for single human genomes nearly a decade ago.
Tute said it will integrate knoSYS into its cloud-based genome informatics and clinical reporting platform, strengthening its ability to deliver a comprehensive, flexible, scalable, and secure informatics solution for genome-guided medicine.
Tute uses sample-in, report-out technology designed to enable users to process raw sequencing data, perform rigorous quality control measures, annotate genetic variants with more than 200 genetic knowledge sources, and seamlessly create clinical reports. The solution is designed to help diagnostic labs and health systems process next-generation sequencing data quickly and securely.
Technology from Tute has also been integrated with third party tools such as Laboratory Information Management System (LIMS) for scalable sample information management, and electronic health record systems, to bring genetic insights to point-of-care and help guide every medical decisions throughout a patient's life.
“Knome's software is a testament to the extraordinary foresight and ingenuity of its scientists and engineers, as well as the remarkable amount of financial support the company has achieved over the years,” Tute Genomics CEO Reid Robison, M.D., MBA, said in a statement.
“The result is a wealth of technology assets that are well-poised to tackle the bioinformatics challenges faced by healthcare, such as rapidly processing raw genome sequencing data, performing clinical interpretation of the data and generating actionable clinical reports,” Dr. Robison added.
Knome said last year it had closed on a $13 million financing round led by current investors, saying it would use proceeds to promote growth and expansion of its genomic services and software systems businesses.
Tute closed in June on series A1 financing of more than $3.9 million from a group of investors that included Intermountain Healthcare, an integrated network of 22 hospitals and 185 physician clinics. Other major investors included Healthbox, a platform for innovation and entrepreneurship in healthcare, and China-based Internet company Tencent.