OpGen Group Company Ares Genetics Presents at AWS and Twist Bioscience Webinars
June 09 2021 - 7:30AM
OpGen, Inc. (Nasdaq: OPGN, “OpGen”), a precision medicine company
harnessing the power of molecular diagnostics and informatics to
help combat infectious disease, today announced that its subsidiary
Ares Genetics, which strives to become a leader in bacterial
genomics and the AI-powered prediction of antimicrobial resistance
(AMR), is developing a culture-free, genomic assay for
comprehensive AMR surveillance. Dr. Johannes Weinberger, NGS
Laboratory Director at Ares Genetics, offered insights into the
ongoing assay development activities during a virtual conference
presentation on May 26, 2021 sponsored by Twist Bioscience.
The Ares universal pathogenome assay (ARESupa)
addresses important shortcomings of methods like PCR and
metagenomics sequencing for microbial identification and detection
of AMR markers. PCR-based tests, while accurate and fast, can only
test for a small percentage of known pathogen genomes and
resistance markers. While metagenomic sequencing, an emerging
method for detecting a wide range of pathogen genomes, is suitable
for pathogen identification, the method currently often fails to
sensitively and reproducibly detect individual resistance genes or
the small genome fragments indicative of AMR.
To overcome these limitations, scientists at
Ares Genetics have mined ARESdb, which we believe to be an
industry-leading proprietary database of genetic markers for AMR,
to design a comprehensive target-enrichment next generation
sequencing (NGS) panel encompassing more than 8,000 markers.
The results of a successfully completed internal
study presented by Dr. Weinberger confirm the potential advantages
of this approach: “When compared to metagenomic sequencing, the
Ares universal pathogenome assay is proving to be more sensitive,
detecting up to five times more markers for AMR. The sensitivity
for AMR marker detection in native urine samples from septic
patients with confirmed mono-infections in our study was determined
to be between 94% and 100% when compared to comparator data
obtained from whole genome sequencing of the corresponding
bacterial isolate.”
Preliminary data on environmental samples
confirm reproducibility down to DNA concentrations in the picogram
range, demonstrating the potential suitability of this assay for
the surveillance of antimicrobial resistance.
Proof of concept experiments performed in native
septic urine samples suggest that data generated by using this
assay are also compatible with Ares’ proprietary AI-powered
bioinformatics for predictive antibiotic susceptibility testing
(pAST), showing an average 92% concordance to culture and AST for
E.coli and 10 tested compounds.
On May 27, 2021, Dr. Arne Materna, CEO of Ares
Genetics mentioned in an invited Genomics-Track presentation at the
Amazon Web Services (AWS) healthcare and life sciences virtual
symposium that the Ares universal pathogenome assay (ARESupa), is
currently being evaluated in a paid-for early access program for
which the company has already signed up five public health
organizations from different European countries.
In his presentation illustrating the benefits of
machine learning for the prognostic detection of AMR, Dr. Materna
confirmed that “the Ares universal pathogenome assay is part of a
focused effort by Ares Genetics to commercialize solutions for
pathogen and AMR surveillance from isolates and native specimen
with launches having already begun and several additional ones
expected during 2021.”
About OpGen, Inc.
OpGen, Inc. (Gaithersburg, MD, USA) is a
precision medicine company harnessing the power of molecular
diagnostics and bioinformatics to help combat infectious disease.
Along with subsidiaries, Curetis GmbH and Ares Genetics GmbH, we
are developing and commercializing molecular microbiology solutions
helping to guide clinicians with more rapid and actionable
information about life threatening infections to improve patient
outcomes, and decrease the spread of infections caused by
multidrug-resistant microorganisms, or MDROs. OpGen’s product
portfolio includes Unyvero®, Acuitas® AMR Gene Panel and Acuitas®
Lighthouse, and the ARES Technology Platform including ARESdb®,
using NGS technology and AI-powered bioinformatics solutions for
antibiotic response prediction.
For more information, please visit
www.opgen.com.
Forward-Looking Statements
This press release includes statements regarding
study data, performance characteristics and potential utility of
certain of Ares Genetics’ assays and services. These
statements and other statements regarding OpGen’s Unyvero products,
their commercialization and launch, future plans and goals
constitute "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of
Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the
Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and are intended to qualify for the
safe harbor from liability established by the Private Securities
Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Such statements are subject to risks
and uncertainties that are often difficult to predict, are beyond
our control, and which may cause results to differ materially from
expectations. Factors that could cause our results to differ
materially from those described include, but are not limited to,
our ability to successfully, timely and cost-effectively develop,
seek and obtain regulatory clearance for and commercialize our
product and services offerings, the rate of adoption of our
products and services by hospitals and other healthcare providers,
the fact that we may not effectively use proceeds from recent
financings, including our November 2020 private placement, February
2021 Registered Direct and March 2021 warrant exercise and
exchange, the realization of expected benefits of our business
combination transaction with Curetis GmbH, the success of our
commercialization efforts, the impact of COVID-19 on the Company’s
operations, financial results, and commercialization efforts as
well as on capital markets and general economic conditions, the
effect on our business of existing and new regulatory requirements,
and other economic and competitive factors. For a discussion of the
most significant risks and uncertainties associated with OpGen's
business, please review our filings with the Securities and
Exchange Commission. You are cautioned not to place undue reliance
on these forward-looking statements, which are based on our
expectations as of the date of this press release and speak only as
of the date of this press release. We undertake no obligation to
publicly update or revise any forward-looking statement, whether as
a result of new information, future events or otherwise.
OpGen:Oliver SchachtPresident and
CEOInvestorRelations@opgen.com
OpGen Press Contact:Matthew
Bretzius FischTank Marketing and PR
matt@fischtankpr.com
OpGen Investor Contact:Megan Paul Edison
Group mpaul@edisongroup.com
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