PITTSBURGH, Dec. 20, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Helomics® Corporation (Helomics), a privately-held, healthcare
company providing personalized medicine solutions for clients in the pharmaceutical, diagnostic, and
biotechnology industries, and Ariel Precision Medicine, Inc. (Ariel), an integrated genomics and
digital health company enabling early treatment and targeted management of complex chronic
diseases, today announced that they have signed a service agreement to support the further commercial application
of Ariel’s proprietary, clinically integrated genomic assay, PancreasDx®.
Furthermore, this agreement solidifies the shared vision of making the Pittsburgh region a leader in Precision Medicine, as
Helomics and ARIEL explore opportunities to work together in research and clinical applications, to
establish a Next-Generation Sequencing (NGS)” hub” and provide products and services to life-sciences
organizations within the region and beyond.
The terms and conditions established between Ariel and Helomics were not disclosed.
Gerald J. Vardzel Jr., President and CEO of Helomics said, “We are excited to finalize a services
agreement with Ariel to serve as the clinical laboratory for their genomics assay, PancreasDx. The agreement is further
evidence of our commitment to commercial clinical grade NGS here in Pittsburgh and our partnership with ARIEL, a precision medicine
leader.”
Jessica Gibson, President and CEO of ARIEL stated, “Helomics and Ariel share a Precision Medicine vision for
Pittsburgh and, by leveraging Helomics’ sophisticated CLIA laboratory and clinical grade NGS platform, we will be
able to further accelerate the commercialization of our genomics panels for early detection and long-term management of chronic
diseases such as pancreatitis. We look forward to expanding our scientific and commercial activities with Helomics as we work to
leverage Pittsburgh’s rich technology, professional expertise and cutting-edge science to advance life sciences and
healthcare technology in the region.
About Helomics Corporation
Helomics® is a precision diagnostic company and integrated clinical contract research organization whose mission is to improve
patient care by partnering with pharmaceutical, diagnostic, and academic organizations to bring innovative clinical products and
technologies to the marketplace. In addition to its proprietary precision diagnostics for oncology, Helomics offers boutique
CRO services that leverage our patient-derived tumor models, coupled to a wide range of multi-omics assays (genomics, proteomics
and biochemical), and a proprietary bioinformatics platform (D-CHIP) to provide a tailored solution to our client’s specific needs.
Helomics has signed a joint venture term sheet with Skyline Medical Inc. (NASDAQ:SKLN), producer of the FDA-approved STREAMWAY®
System for automated, direct-to-drain medical fluid disposal, to leverage the Helomics D-CHIP™ platform to develop and market new
approaches for personalized cancer diagnosis and care.
Helomics® is headquartered in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania where the company maintains state-of-the-art, CLIA-certified, clinical
and research laboratories.
For more information, please visit: www.Helomics.com.
About Ariel Precision Medicine, Inc.
Ariel is an integrated genomics and digital health company delivering precision medicine
solutions enabling the early diagnosis, prognosis and management of complex chronic
diseases. Ariel’s technologies can lead a paradigm shift from targeting single gene (Mendelian) genetics
to using multifaceted, complicated gene to gene interactions that interface with familial and environmental factors to
provide a more comprehensive view of disease trajectory and precise therapeutic options. Results from next generation
sequencing of more than 1500 genetic targets are integrated with a patient’s symptoms and complex medical
information using systems modeling, machine learning and other advanced reporting technology to create decision support
tools. The process compares a patient and his or her disease behavior against databases of well-mapped, complex disease patterns to
help determine both the underlying cause of the disease and the optimal treatment plan. Ariel’s headquarters are in
Pittsburgh, PA, with additional offices in Chicago and Los Angeles.
For more information, please visit: www.arielmedicine.com
Contacts:
Helomics
Gerald J. Vardzel Jr., Chief Executive Officer
(412) 432-1500
gvardzel@helomics.com
Investors
KCSA Strategic Communications
Elizabeth Barker
(212) 896-1203
skln@kcsa.com