Singapore Precision Medicine prog

Oxford Nanopore Technologies plc (LSE: ONT) ("Oxford Nanopore"), the Company delivering a new generation of nanopore-based molecular sensing technology, notes the announcement of a landmark project with Singapore's National Precision Medicine (NPM) programme, led by Precision Health Research, Singapore (PRECISE), to sequence 10,000 genomes representing Singapore's diverse population, including Malay, Indian and Chinese communities.

The project is aimed at developing a catalogue of structural variants that have demonstrated significance in helping clinician scientists and researchers in understanding human genetic diversity and diseases. The Oxford Nanopore platform was selected by the NPM programme through a competitive process because of its scalability and flexibility in sequencing both short and ultra-long DNA/RNA fragments, including detection of methylation, without the need for additional steps and at speeds faster than other platforms.

This initiative underscores Oxford Nanopore's commitment to advancing genetic research and healthcare outcomes on a global scale, particularly for ethnically diverse populations that are typically underrepresented in genomic databases.

The project started mid-2024 and is expected to run for c.12 months. There is no change to the Company's already stated 2024 and medium-term financial guidance.

Gordon Sanghera, CEO of Oxford Nanopore commented:

"We are excited to collaborate with Singapore's National Precision Medicine (NPM) programme to create one of the most extensive and inclusive reference genome datasets globally. This collaboration not only enhances our commitment to precision healthcare but also strategically positions Singapore as a pivotal hub for genomics in the Asia Pacific, fostering significant advancements in medical research and healthcare outcomes."

Read more about the project here: https://nanoporetech.com/news/singapore-s-national-precision-medicine-npm-programme-engages-oxford-nanopore-to-advance-understanding-of-the-genetics-of-singapore-s-multi-ethnic-population

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Precision Health Research, Singapore (PRECISE) is the central entity set up to coordinate a whole of Singapore effort to implement Phase II of Singapore's three-phase National Precision Medicine (NPM) programme.

NPM Phase II aims to transform healthcare in Singapore and improve patient outcomes through new insights into the Asian genome and data-driven healthcare solutions. In NPM Phase II, PRECISE will collaborate with Singapore research and clinical partners, including the Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR), Lee Kong Chian School of Medicine, National Healthcare Group, National University Health System, National University of Singapore, and SingHealth Duke-NUS Academic Medical Centre to study the genetic makeup of 100,000 healthy Singaporeans and specific patient cohorts. The genetic data will be integrated with detailed lifestyle, environmental, and clinical data to yield rich insights into factors that contribute to Asian diseases and conditions.

Additionally, NPM Phase II will enhance the breadth and depth of the Precision Medicine-related industry by attracting and anchoring overseas companies in Singapore, while yielding new opportunities for home-grown companies. To enhance and accelerate the precision medicine sector, PRECISE works in close collaboration with A*STAR, the Biomedical Sciences Industry Partnership Office, and the Economic Development Board to catalyse the next phase of growth for Singapore's healthcare and the biomedical technology industries.

PRECISE is a programme of the Consortium for Clinical Research and Innovation, Singapore (CRIS). PRECISE is supported by the National Research Foundation, Singapore (NRF) under the RIE2020 White Space (MOH-000588 and MOH-001264) and administered by the Singapore Ministry of Health through the National Medical Research Council (NMRC) Office, MOH Holdings Pte Ltd