Complete Genomics Inc. the complete human genome sequencing company, announced additional details about the option that SAIC-Frederick Inc. has exercised to have Complete Genomics sequence the DNA from more than 500 paediatric cancer cases. This project was first announced during Complete Genomics’ Q2 earnings call on Aug. 4, 2011. Each case consists of a tumour-normal pair, and some cases include a relapsed tumour. This additional study follows the first phase of the project in which Complete Genomics sequenced and analysed 100 genomes (50 tumour-normal pairs) from paediatric cancer cases on behalf of SAIC-Frederick Inc., which is the prime contractor for the NCI’s R&D facility in Frederick, Md., under contract HHSN261200800001E.

The goal of this ongoing study is to identify and verify somatic mutations. The project is part of the NCI’s Therapeutically Applicable Research to Generate Effective Treatments (TARGET) Initiative, which seeks to use genomics technologies to rapidly identify valid therapeutic targets in childhood cancers so new, more effective treatments can be developed. The initial pilot study focused on five childhood cancers: acute lymphoblastic leukaemia, acute myeloid leukaemia, neuroblastoma, osteosarcoma and Wilms tumour.

“We are delighted to have expanded our relationship with SAIC-Frederick and the NCI, who will be leveraging our complete human genome sequencing and analysis service to help identify possible genetic mutations and markers for childhood cancers,” said Dr Clifford Reid, chairman, president and CEO of Complete Genomics. “We believe that the TARGET Initiative has the potential to help researchers accelerate the development of viable therapies to treat and prevent the most common childhood cancers and reduce the more than 10,000 new paediatric cancer diagnoses each year.”

In this phase of the collaboration, Complete Genomics is focusing on identifying somatic mutations associated with specific tumour types, and the resulting research-ready data will be submitted to the TARGET Database, where it will be a resource for NCI researchers.

Complete Genomics will be paid more than $8 million for completing this phase of the project, which is funded by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009.

Complete Genomics is a complete human genome sequencing company that has developed and commercialized an innovative DNA sequencing platform.