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Greater Manchester
DEVOTE
The Development and Validation of Technology for Time Critical Genomic Testing Programme
Genomic information can be used to predict disease, personalise treatments and improve patient care and experience; however, this testing is often slow and not to a high enough standard, limiting its use in most clinical settings.
Developing technologies that can deliver clinically relevant genetic information within specific timeframes is extremely important if we want to realise the potential of advanced diagnostics.
Combining Greater Manchester’s academic expertise in genomics with the emerging Biotech ecosystem, Prof Bill Newman, Dr John McDermott and Dr Videha Sharma conceptualised a unique translational pipeline that allows new rapid genomic tests to be developed. This required creating and curate new partnerships across a range of domain expertise, to support both academic and industry partners through a series of development phases.
DEVOTE has created eight expertise domains (1-8) which represent specific areas of knowledge and skills. By bringing together experts from different domains, DEVOTE is able to leverage a diverse range of perspectives and approaches to address complex challenges, leading to more effective and efficient translation of scientific discoveries into improved patient outcomes. Please click each image below to read more.
Domains of Expertise:
Development Phases:
Traditionally, each development phase (1-8) is undertaken as an independent step in the pathway. This can lead to teams working in silos and results in research projects getting lost in the so-called ‘valley of death’. DEVOTE recognises the inherent interrelatedness and non-linearity of the modern translational pathway. By championing ‘team science’ ad facilitating multi-disciplinary and cross-industry collaboration, the potential of achieving real world implementation and patient benefit will be enhanced.
The Development and Validation of Technology for Time Critical Genomic Testing (DEVOTE) Programme brings together academic, industry and clinical partners from across the region, and aims to create societal and economic impact by realising the potential of genomic testing for all.
The projects being delivered as part of this work are (please click each tab below to read more):
Rapid Diagnostic Testing in Stroke: the project team will work with Genedrive PLC, to develop a rapid, cost effective, point-of-care test to test for CYP2C19 genotype by the bedside to guide stroke therapy.
This diagnostic test will be optimised prior to performance evaluation in stroke patients, to support its commercialisation after certification. As well as expanding a skilled workforce in Greater Manchester, analysis suggests that the CYP2C19 stroke therapy has the potential to avoid thousands of strokes each year – impacting on population health outcomes and cost savings across the NHS.
Rapid Genetic Point of Care Devices: the project team will work with Chromition Ltd, to use advanced materials to develop novel, ultra-rapid genetic point of care devices.
To address the unmet need for new technology solutions, to deliver ultra-rapid point-of-care genotyping, this project will focus on the development of a novel, rapid and re-programmable point-of-care system combining CRISPR-Cas gene recognition technology with an electronic device platform. With the proof of principle already demonstrated, this collaboration has the potential to stimulate significant academic and industry activity, building on Manchester’s expertise in advanced materials. The devices could revolutionise the approach to precision diagnostics, with benefits including improved accuracy in testing, and time and cost saving.
Pharmacogenetic Passport: the project team will work with APIS Assay Technologies to develop an end-to-end solution for pharmacogenetic testing and reporting for a range of genetic variants to roll out across the NHS.
Members of the DEVOTE team are leading an NHS England piece of work to develop a pharmacogenetic passport service called PROGRESS. By partnering with a molecular diagnostics innovator, the project team will develop a solution for pharmacogenetic testing and reporting, to overcome current barriers. This will be a broad, ethnically inclusive tool that can detect a range of pharmacogenetic targets (e.g. CYP2D6, APOE, DPYD and CYP2C19) – determined in collaboration with clinicians and academics in Greater Manchester. An informatic solution will then be delivered to transfer the data into a clinical setting.
Quality Assurance: In addition to the projects listed above, EMQN CIC are working as a collaborative partner across all DEVOTE projects, focusing on the creation of EQA schemes for pharmacogenetics and point-of-care systems.
Quality assurance mechanisms for genomic point-of-care-testing (POCT) don’t currently exist and evidence from early adoption of pharmacogenetic POCT indicates that clinical implementation may be slow if access to appropriate patient (like) control materials isn’t supported. EMQN are working with the DEVOTE team to establish a biobank of patient materials that can be used to support the implementation of pharmacogenetic POCT, and ongoing quality assurance through EQA.
Each project is underpinned by a shared ethos to reduce inequalities, forge new relationships with communities, and drive productivity through innovative collaborations with business and industry, as well building on assets already in existence within the Greater Manchester system.
Bill Newman, Professor of Translational Genomic Medicine at UoM, Consultant in Genomic Medicine at MFT, and a researcher with the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) Manchester BRC, said: “This is a great opportunity to enhance GM’s status as a world leader in creating genetic tests that can give rapid results in minutes. We expect that the DEVOTE projects will lead to the adoption of new tests by the NHS to make drug prescription safer and more effective.”
Partners
The DEVOTE programme is led by The University of Manchester and supported by Health Innovation Manchester in partnership with:
- Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust (MFT)
- Health Innovation Manchester
- Genedrive
- Chromition
- APIS Assay Technologies Ltd
- EMQN CIC
The Health Innovation Accelerator
The Health Innovation Accelerator encompasses two projects, the Advanced Diagnostics Accelerator and the DEVOTE programme, delivered through a partnership between Health Innovation Manchester, Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust (MFT), The University of Manchester, and industry partners.
This project is part-funded by the Greater Manchester Innovation Accelerator programme. Led by Innovate UK on behalf of UK Research and Innovation, the pilot Innovation Accelerators programme is investing £100m in 26 transformative R&D projects to accelerate the growth of three high-potential innovation clusters – Glasgow City Region, Greater Manchester, and West Midlands. Supporting the Government’s levelling-up agenda, this is a new model of R&D decision making that empowers local leaders to harness innovation in support of regional economic growth and help attract private R&D investment and develop future technologies.