GVK grants US researchers access to biomarker database
The GOBIOM library contains information on 12,000 biomarkers with multiple data points covering experimental, analytical, clinical and statistical information.
Under the new agreement, which was facilitated by the Indiana Economic Development Corporation (IEDC), this data will be available to researchers at 55 medical centers and universities supported by the Clinical and Translational Sciences Award from the National Institutes of Health.
Anantha Shekhar, director of the Indiana CTSI said: “The GOBIOM database is a powerful tool for clinicians and researchers looking to mine the most up to date and comprehensive information about any putative biomarker for personalized therapeutics.”
This was echoed by Sreeni Devidas, VP of sales and marketing in informatics at GVK, who said: “Biomarker research is increasing at a rapid pace and the database is designed to help researchers keep pace with the latest data.”
The agreement follows a few months after GVK signed a similar access accord with the US food and Drug Administration (FDA).
That deal, specifics of which were not disclosed, granted the FDA the right to use the GOBIOM data to further develop its guidance on biomarker qualification, a draft version of which was published last October .
GVK has worked with the FDA since 2007 when it granted the agency’s genomics group access to its database of clinical biomarkers for use in the development of its voluntary genomics data submission (VGDS) programme.
The IEDIC deal is also comes weeks after GVK was named as a preferred provider by Product Development Partners (PDP), which is a consortium focused on drugs for neglected diseases that is part funded by the Bill and Melinda Gates foundation.
