SeqOne: boosting Covid-19 testing capacity
A small start-up for maximum results. Nicolas Philippe, founder of SeqOne, a Montpellier-based platform specializing in genomic analysis, is proposing to adapt the power of the latest generation of sequencers to Covid-19 screening. In just a few weeks, this technology could increase testing capacity in France a hundredfold. France.
From genomic analysis to Covid-19 screening, it was only a short step for Montpellier-based SeqOne to take in response to a call from the French Ministry of Higher Education, Research and Innovation. Specializing in genome analysis for medical purposes, the SeqOne platform already boasts recognized expertise in the fields of oncology, rare diseases, non-invasive perinatal screening and the search for genetic predispositions using next-generation DNA sequencing (NGS). A technology that could also meet the massive screening needs of Covid-19.
More than 20,000 patients a day
It all started with a publication released in the USA on March 20," explains Nicolas Philippe, bioinformatics researcher and company founder. It showed that it was possible to mutliplex, in other words to analyze the DNA of several people in a single sequencing run." The result was the ability to screen more than 20,000 patients in a single day, observing the percentage of viral load or any mutations in the virus. A strategic asset for early detection of a possible epidemic rebound.
"From the outset ,SeqOne's DNA has been toserve patients. We are already working with half of France's university hospitals and with all private analysis laboratories", explains Nicolas Philippe, who, in order to commit SEqOne to the fight against Covid-19, had to validate several stages: setting up a certified platform, working upstream with laboratories authorized to screen for Covid-19, and of course finding partners to develop the protocol biologically. "This last stage is currently being finalized, and we are in discussion with various laboratories, notably theInstitut de Génétique Humaine in Montpellier. In the best-case scenario, we'll be able to start in mid-June", explains the CEO.
IT in the service of medicine
It was during his university studies that Nicolas Philippe, initially a computer engineer specializing in "combinatorial text algorithms", discovered a genuine interest in medical care. Describing himself as "a pure product of academic research", this native of Normandy arrived in Montpellier in 2007 to complete a thesis at the Laboratoire d'informatique, de robotique et de microélectronique (Lirmm, Université de Montpellier, CNRS). "During this thesis, I wasable to work in close collaboration with MontpellierUniversity Hospital , CNRS andInserm , and put my skills atthe service of medicine."
At the time, new DNA sequencing techniques were entering the scientific arena, drastically reducing the cost and time involved in decoding genomic material while increasing the amount of data collected, as the researcher recalls: "The beginning of genomic sequencing dates back to the very early 2000s, but it cost several million euros and took weeks." A technical revolution that will pave the way for the development of genomic medicine and the optimization of healthcare.
Rewarding work
For seven years, Nicolas Philippe pursued his thesis and post-doctoral studies abroad, never losing sight of high-throughput sequencing, and picking up a few awards along the way, including the Prix Hélène Starck and the Pôle BioSanté Rabelais prize. Back in France, he continued his work with Inserm before the idea of setting up his own company was born in 2014. Officially launched in 2017, with the support of SATT AxLR, Montpellier University Hospital, BIC, BPI LRI, the Occitanie Region and the University of Montpellier, SeqOne now employs almost thirty staff. "Our team is very dynamic and our profiles very complementary. We only speak one language, that of genomics."