Almac Group Launches Upgraded Version of claraT – A Unique, Software-driven Gene Expression Report

Now includes six Hallmarks of Cancer to aid Biomarker Discovery

Craigavon, N.I., 27 March 2019 – Almac Diagnostic Services, a member of the Almac Group, will launch its second iteration of clara^T* at AACR in Atlanta on 29 March.  The clara^T report is a unique software-driven solution, classifying biologically relevant gene expression signatures into a comprehensive report and classifies using the Hallmarks of Cancer for easy interpretation – saving oncology researchers’ valuable time, whilst maximising the understanding of their dataset.

The new version content now includes 62 gene expression signatures and 60 single gene drug targets, in addition to almost 4,000 other biology linked genes.

The content has expanded from the first three hallmark biologies launched at ESMO 2018: Avoiding Immune Destruction, Activating Invasion and Metastasis and Inducing Angiogenesis. Almac has now enhanced the clara^T report further by upgrading three additional hallmark biologies: Genome Instability & Mutation, Sustaining Proliferative Signalling and Resisting Cell Death. Almac will continue to grow the clara^T report by developing content to eventually cover all 10 Hallmarks of Cancer by the end of the year.

The clara^T report benefits Academic and BioPharma biomarker discovery and translational research. Clients are provided with an interactive report that allows the easy visualisation of the key discriminating biologies within both the study cohort and an individual tumour sample.

The clara^T report is a pan-cancer solution generated from raw gene expression data, utilising Almac’s RNA-Sequencing Service. RNA-Sequencing data is extremely complex and difficult to interpret, often requiring extensive bioinformatics expertise. Almac has developed proprietary bioinformatics pipelines to report this complex data through clara^T in a simplified manner, helping to save time and maximise the understanding of any dataset more quickly.

Richard Kennedy, Global VP of Biomarker Discovery, Almac Diagnostic Services stated: “Conventionally gene expression signatures are applied individually to classify patients into molecular subgroups. Signatures designed to identify the same biology are often developed independently using different bioinformatics algorithms and therefore may not classify identically.

In order to address this, we developed the clara^T software solution which uses consensus between multiple published and Almac proprietary gene signatures, categorised into the Hallmarks of Cancer, to classify cancers in a more robust manner. Importantly this standardised bioinformatics approach enables the analysis of datasets in a highly reproducible and cost effective offering.”

For further information on clara^T visit almacgroup.com/diagnostics/claratreport.  

To discuss your RNA research project requirements and how clara^T can help, visit the Almac stand #3225 at AACR 2019.

*NOTE: The results displayed in the clara^T report are for research use only (RUO) and are not to be used for diagnostic or prognostic purposes, including predicting responsiveness to a particular therapy.

About Almac Diagnostic Services

Almac Diagnostic Services is a global stratified medicine company specializing in biomarker driven clinical trials. The company is focused on the discovery, development and commercialization of diagnostic and companion diagnostic tests. We partner with biopharma companies to provide solutions ranging from biomarker discovery to CDx development including regulatory submissions and commercialization. We also facilitate biomarker clinical trial management and clinical test delivery from our CLIA-accredited labs. The tests developed at Almac Diagnostic Services have a wide range of applications including patient selection, and are utilized in phase I to phase III registrational clinical trials.

For more information visit: almacgroup.com/diagnostics. 

About Almac Group

A unique culture delivering exceptional solutions

The Almac Group is an established contract development and manufacturing organisation providing an extensive range of integrated services across the drug development lifecycle to the pharmaceutical and biotech sectors globally.

Our innovative services range from R&D, biomarker discovery development and commercialisation, API manufacture, formulation development, clinical trial supply, IRT (IVRS/IWRS) through to commercial-scale manufacture.

The international company is a privately owned organisation that has grown organically over the past five decades now employing over 5600 highly skilled personnel across 18 facilities including Europe, the US and Asia.

We have a global reputation for excellence built over 50 years of client service, delivering expertise right across the drug development lifecycle and offering a tailored solution to each of our clients.

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