Human Longevity, Inc., a startup founded by genomics pioneer J. Craig Venter, plans to join the public markets via a SPAC merger. If the business combination closes, HLI would receive about $345 million for continued commercialization of its platform that uses genomics, AI, and other technologies for early disease detection and other strategies intended to help people live longer.
The company's valuation has declined 80 percent, from a $1.6 billion peak to $310 million, according to The Wall Street Journal.
Munck Wilson Mandala Partner Greg Howison shared his perspective on some of the legal ramifications around AI, IP, connected devices and the data they generate, in response to emailed questions.
At least four healthcare executives have either resigned, been fired or taken on a lesser role since the first of the year — and the head of NIH may be out soon, too.
During a September 2015 keynote at Mayo Clinic's Individualizing Medicine Conference, Venter was asked whether he had any interest in teaming up with the White House's Precision Medicine Initiative — melding Human Longevity's database with the government's. His reply? "Unlikely."
Working with J. Craig Venter's Human Longevity Inc, the Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute and Finland's Institute for Molecular Medicine, AstraZeneca — and its biologics R&D arm MedImmune — plans to integrate genomics research into every step of drug development.
The funding will be used to build out Health Nucleus, HLI's clinical research center, and expand its database of whole genome, phenotype and clinical data.
At the Abarca Forward conference earlier this year, George Van Antwerp, managing director at Deloitte, discussed how social determinants of health and a personalized member experience can improve medication adherence and health outcomes.
Cypher Genomics' tools to interpret sequencing data will be used by Human Longevity in its aim to unravel 1 million genomes by 2020.
"I think this notion that you can have genome sequences from public databases is extremely naive," Venter said. "We're worried there will be future lawsuits from people who were guaranteed anonymity who will clearly not have it."
Cleveland Clinic and Human Longevity are teaming up to sequence and analyze the genetics of heart disease.