SeqOne Genomics Sets Its Sights on the International Market
Becoming a global leader in personalized genomic medicine: that is the ambition of SeqOne Genomics, a designer and developer of genomic data analysis solutions. This goal has been made possible by a €20 million funding round secured by the startup.
Understanding the specific characteristics of a disease to provide better care for patients is the goal of personalized medicine. This approach requires access to that“personalized blueprint”—each individual’s genome—and the ability to decipher and interpret the thousands of mutations scattered throughout our DNA sequences. This is where the startup SeqOne Genomics comes in, offering high-performance genomic data analysis solutions for personalized medicine. Its goal is to improve clinical care for patients with cancer and rare and hereditary diseases.
The company, founded in 2017 with support from SATT AxLR (see box), the University of Montpellier, and Inserm, has already won numerous awards, such as the iLab Prize and the Hélène Starck Prize —which honors young researchers supported by the ARC Foundation —and has established a strong position in the French market. This winning model has propelled the company to a new milestone on January 24, when it raised 20 million euros to accelerate the rollout of genomic medicine, with an eye toward international expansion.
Change of scale
“We’re already established in half of France’s university hospitals and at four of the largest private facilities, so we’ve amply demonstrated that our product works and meets a real market need,” says Jean-Marc Holder, SeqOne’s head of strategy and innovation. The next step for the startup isto “scale the business.” This scaling up, made possible by this funding round, will unfold along three main lines of action.
“First, international expansion, ”explains Jean-Marc Holder. “In Europe to start with, and to that end, we’re going to double our workforce by the end of the year.” This expansion will grow the startup from 40 to 80 employees and will ,in particular ,allow the company to “establish a more detailed sales network across the region.” But SeqOne Genomics is thinking bigger and looking further ahead, with its sights set on the U.S. market. “It’sa market that many people dream of entering, but one that requires thorough preparation.”
New Treatments
Second area of development: investment in big data.“Or rather ‘fat data,’ given the volume of data involved—thousands of mutations per patient, considering that each genome is equivalent to a 500-giga hard drive, ”corrects Jean-Marc Holder. “This is one of the major challenges of personalized medicine, and it’s SeqOne’s strength—the company has demonstrated an unparalleled ability to characterize genetic information.”This win-win approach to personalization allows patients to receive treatment more quickly, avoids potentially unnecessary or inappropriate treatments, and ultimately results in cost savings for the healthcare system.
Finally, the third area of development is “the market for biopharmaceutical companies that develop new therapies, ” says Jean-Marc Holder. The promise of more targeted treatments thanks to a better understanding of disease mechanisms—that, too, is what personalized medicine is all about.
SATT AxLR is a technology transfer acceleration company specializing in the development and commercialization of innovative projects stemming from public research. It works with most of the public research laboratories located in Eastern Occitanie, one of the most dynamic regions in France and Europe, with nearly 200 laboratories and nearly 11,000 researchers and research staff. Since its creation, SATT AxLR has funded 167 innovation programs, invested 53.4 M€, signed 138 technology transfer agreements with companies, and supported 107 startups.