Institute cancer diagnostics spin-out secures £12.5 million
“Our partnership with the Sanger Institute provides world-class resources that few start-up companies could access. This, and our relationship with Syncona, is proving a valuable gateway to access large clinical studies in cancer across Europe, at the scale and quality necessary to build medically useful clinical genomic datasets.”
Andrew Sandham Executive Chairman of 14MG
14MG was founded by the leaders of the Sanger Institute Cancer Genome Project, Professor Michael Stratton, Dr Peter Campbell and Dr Ultan McDermott. The company, based on the Wellcome Trust Genome Campus, is collaborating with European clinical partners in studies to generate linked clinical genomic datasets using cancer gene panel and other technologies. 14MG has licensed proprietary technology and bioinformatics software from the Sanger Institute and will capitalise on the Institute’s research and clinical grade sequencing pipelines.
“The Cancer Genome Project has enabled us to make important discoveries in cancer gene biology. There is a real drive to introduce genomic medicine into healthcare, and the founding of 14MG aspires to realise the clinical utility of cancer genomics through services to oncologists and patients.”
Professor Michael Stratton Co-founder of 14MG and Director of the Sanger Institute
The company’s medical and bioinformatics teams are building a clinical genomic data resource with portal access appropriate for future clinical diagnostic services. Collaborations with leading academic centres are being established in haematological and solid tissue cancers, where there are strong indicators that cancer gene biology has prognostic and treatment guidance value. 14MG also intends to collaborate with pharmaceutical partners to provide clinical genomic services in the study of investigational drugs, informed by its cancer gene pathway discoveries.
“Syncona is a healthcare investment company that identifies and develops technologies with the potential of significantly impacting the healthcare market of the future. The development and commercialisation of cancer diagnostics requires deep and long term financial commitment and Syncona has the vision and resources to support companies like 14MG that will transform the diagnosis and treatment of cancer.”
Martin Murphy CEO of Syncona
More information
Further information: 14M Genomics
Andrew Sandham: +44 (0) 1223 499975
Julia Wilson: +44 (0) 7818 430877
Selected websites
Syncona
Syncona LLP was founded in 2012 and operates as an evergreen investment company, taking an active role in identifying, developing and funding technologies with the potential to significantly impact the healthcare market of the future. Syncona can take the long view when necessary, able to concentrate investment into opportunities as technology is validated. Syncona is a subsidiary the Wellcome Trust that invested the initial £200m capitalisation.
Cancer Genome Project
The Cancer Genome Project, initiated in 2000, is using the human genome sequence and high-throughput mutation detection techniques to identify somatically acquired variants and hence identify genes critical to the development of human cancers.
The Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute
The Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute is one of the world’s leading genome centres. Through its ability to conduct research at scale, it is able to engage in bold and long-term exploratory projects that are designed to influence and empower medical science globally. Institute research findings, generated through its own research programmes and through its leading role in international consortia, are being used to develop new diagnostics and treatments for human disease.
The Wellcome Trust
The Wellcome Trust is a global charitable foundation dedicated to achieving extraordinary improvements in human and animal health. We support the brightest minds in biomedical research and the medical humanities. Our breadth of support includes public engagement, education and the application of research to improve health. We are independent of both political and commercial interests.
