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Sirona Dx is a Portland, Oregon-based technical contract research organization (CRO), which provides high-complexity genomics and proteomics services to pharmaceutical and biotech companies to support drug discovery and development in immuno-oncology. Sirona Dx recently brought the CODEX platform on board to support discovery research with single-cell, spatially resolved multiplex imaging. To learn how the CRO is accelerating drug discovery and development, and how CODEX will help, we spoke to Andrew Brown, PhD, Chief Commercial Officer at Sirona Dx. Tell us about your company – what kinds of projects does Sirona Dx specialize in? Sirona Dx is a CLIA accredited, technology agnostic CRO. We focus primarily on supporting pharma and biotech clients with immunotherapy and targeted therapy programs where there is an acute need for multifaceted, high parameter single cell readouts from limited sample inputs to identify informative biomarker signatures. Why did you decide to set up offices in Portland? In Portland, we have easy access to the West Coast biotech hubs and there’s an incredible scientific talent pool right on our doorstep with OHSU in particular (Oregon Health & Sciences University). While not every member of our team lives in Portland, those who do will confess that Portland and Oregon in general […]

Specialized CRO offers high-definition tissue imaging services for pharmaceutical and clinical research SOUTH SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. and PORTLAND, Ore., Nov. 01, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Sirona Dx, a leader in high-complexity genomics and proteomics services, today announced the introduction of Imaging Mass Cytometry™ services on the Fluidigm Hyperion™ Imaging System to advance biomarker discovery and therapeutic development. Sirona Dx is a specialized contract research organization (CRO) that provides high-quality clinical research services to pharmaceutical and clinical research clients and focuses on offering early access to advanced technologies. With a goal of providing innovative approaches to expand drug discovery pipelines and bring more effective therapies to market, Sirona Dx decided to add multiplex tissue imaging to its growing technology portfolio. Noticing impressive Imaging Mass Cytometry results from top pharmaceutical companies and leading academic medical centers, Sirona Dx engaged Akil Merchant, M.D., Assistant Professor at the University of Southern California Keck School of Medicine, as a Scientific Advisor to assess its full potential. “After a comprehensive evaluation of different tissue imaging technologies, Imaging Mass Cytometry was the clear choice. Imaging Mass Cytometry will enable our clients to resolve complex cellular networks and signaling pathways within tissue microenvironments with unprecedented definition,” said Nasry […]

PORTLAND, Ore., Oct. 30, 2018 /PRNewswire/ — Sirona Dx, a leader in high complexity genomics and proteomics services, announced today the launch of Oncocyst PD-L1, an assay using IncellDx technology that detects and quantifies abnormal bladder cells and immune cells from urine cytology specimens that express the immune-oncology marker PD-L1 using multi-parameter flow cytometry and bioinformatics. The algorithm also uses aneuploidy/DNA content in cells from the bladder, markers often detected by fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) and read using microscopy. The new high throughput assay is non-subjective and can be performed in less than 3 hours. “The ability to batch large numbers of samples to determine the PD-L1 and DNA content status on abnormal urine cytology specimens represents a major advantage over technologies that require subjective microscopic assessment and dark rooms to read FISH,” reports Dr. Nasry Yassa, CEO, Sirona Dx. “We are committed to additional assay development projects with InCellDx to leverage their innovative technology platform that enables simultaneous cell classification and single cell analysis of proteomic and genomic biomarkers.” “We are delighted to announce a partnership with Sirona Dx for our novel platform of single cell proteomic and genomic assays using flow cytometry and CTC platforms. With simultaneous […]

Advanta Immuno-Oncology Gene Expression Assay enables efficient screening of 170 highly informative genes involved in human checkpoint therapeutic response SOUTH SAN FRANCISCO, Calif., July 18, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Fluidigm Corporation (NASDAQ:FLDM) today announced the launch of the Advanta™ Immuno-Oncology Gene Expression Assay, an optimized qPCR assay that enables efficient interrogation of tumor immunobiology using proven Fluidigm® microfluidic technology. Designed for use with the Biomark™ HD system, the Advanta Immuno-Oncology Gene Expression Assay sensitively detects 170 gene expression markers involved in checkpoint therapeutic response from FFPE and fresh frozen tumor samples. With the capability to analyze biomarkers across defined T cell subsets, immune regulation, immune cell fate, cytokines, chemokines and more, this assay can enable translational researchers to accelerate the development of checkpoint immunotherapies and to identify predictive biomarker signatures for therapeutic response. Tumor gene expression profiling has proven effective in measuring immune response during cancer progression and therapeutic response. Previous approaches using large preconfigured panels containing hundreds of genes or transcriptome analysis, however, are both costly and time-consuming. Large preconfigured panels can also be difficult to customize for specific experimental needs. The Advanta Immuno-Oncology Gene Expression Assay was developed in collaboration with leading researchers from academia and biopharma to […]

VANCOUVER, Wash. – (Nov. 10, 2016) – Sirona Dx, a leader in high complexity genomics and proteomics services, today announced it has adopted Thermo Fisher Scientific’s Oncomine Focus Assay to run on the Ion PGM System and expand its drug development and next generation sequencing (NGS) services offered to pharmaceutical and clinical research clients. Sirona Dx recognizes that pharmaceutical companies require access to genomic expertise as well as multiple platforms and technologies to support oncology clinical research studies. After its comprehensive evaluation and validation, Sirona Dx chose to complement its current service offerings with the Oncomine Focus Assay, which includes 52 solid tumor genes, many associated with current oncology therapies and published evidence. “We are in a revolutionary time in the world of cancer research. The ability to understand the specific genomic makeup of a tumor and have that information drive drug development and eventually treatment is empowering,” said Nasry Yassa, Ph.D., Chief Executive Officer of Sirona Dx. “The Oncomine Focus Assay represents the best of what is available in terms of content and technology.” The assay’s content is driven by the Oncomine Knowledgebase, the world’s largest curated compendium of cancer genomic information and confirmed with industry-leading pharmaceutical companies, to […]