Natera’s Genetic Testing to Scale with DNAnexus - Inside DNAnexus

Earlier this year, we announced that Natera, a leader in non-invasive genetic testing, selected the DNAnexus cloud genomics platform to support the company’s portfolio of genetic tests. With the next-generation sequencing (NGS) clinical diagnostic market poised for exponential growth, Natera needed a solution to keep pace with its growing volume of genetic tests and global test delivery issues. At the moment, non-invasive prenatal testing (NIPT) is marketed toward high-risk pregnancies, however Natera is setting its sights on the $2.2 billion average-risk market, which is ready to open in the near future.

Key requirements to grow test portfolio and expand global reach:

• High security and regulatory requirements: ISO 27001 compliance, HIPAA, CLIA, and Business Associates Agreement (BAA)
• Cost-effective scaling for production workloads and Service Level Agreement (SLA)
• Pipeline versioning to ensure all versions coexist and can run side-by-side
• Control data locality and comply with national health data laws
• Control over IT budgets and evolving needs

As Natera expands its NGS genetic test market share, it needed a global solution to decentralize the genome sequencing across partner laboratories and centralize the data analysis using the company’s patented SNP-based algorithms in the cloud. Currently, Natera has signed partnerships with a dozen laboratory and distribution partners who are utilizing the company’s genetic services, and has an aggressive plan to expand its footprint post-IPO.

Natera began trading on the NASDAQ (NTRA) July 2, 2015, with a $180 million IPO. The company’s lead product is Panorama™, a safe and non-invasive prenatal screening test that uses a blood sample from a pregnant mother, drawn as early as 9 weeks into the pregnancy, to assess the risk of certain chromosomal conditions that may affect a baby’s health. However, with this new influx of cash, Natera will move into the cancer diagnostics space, leveraging Panorama’s underlying technology to identify cell-free tumor DNA.

In addition to NIPT, the liquid biopsy market is set to explode. Named one of Technology Review’s 10 Breakthrough Technologies for 2015 and predicted to top $19 billion for the oncology market, a liquid biopsy can capture and isolate DNA shed by tumors in the blood. Soon something as simple as a routine blood test could be used to diagnose and treat cancer, instead of taking a sample directly from a tumor. Because cancer treatment requires multiple tumor sampling during the course of treatment, this non-invasive procedure makes it easier to take samples and make adjustments to a treatment plan.

DNAnexus is proud to be the supporting infrastructure, enabling Natera to scale their business to grow the global genetic testing market. The DNAnexus platform serves as a compliant command center capable of cost-effectively supporting multiple testing sites and enabling providers such as Natera with the technical platform to market and monetize their tests globally.