Illumina’s Newest DRAGEN, Lupus Research Alliance Launches Dataset, More

By Bio-IT World Team  

May 29, 2025 | Illumina announced the launch of DRAGEN version 4.4 software; Lupus Research Alliance (LRA) announced the launch of the Lupus Nexus Foundational Analyses; and more. 

Illumina announced the launch of DRAGEN version 4.4 software (v4.4). The latest version of DRAGEN includes out-of-the-box oncology applications for clinical research and support for newly announced Illumina multiomics assays. Additionally, DRAGEN v4.4 continues DRAGEN's best-in-class accuracy with a 30% improvement in germline structural variant calling accuracy. DRAGEN v4.4 enhancements will simplify NGS analysis for customers while expanding their capabilities. Press release.

Sanofi has entered into an agreement to acquire Vigil. This acquisition in neurology, one of Sanofi’s four strategic disease areas, enhances Sanofi’s early-stage pipeline and includes VG-3927, which will be evaluated in a phase 2 clinical study in Alzheimer’s disease. VG-3927 is an oral small molecule TREM2 agonist. Activating TREM2 is expected to enhance the neuroprotective function of microglia in Alzheimer’s disease. Press release.

The Lupus Research Alliance (LRA) announced the launch of the Lupus Nexus Foundational Analyses, a major scientific initiative aimed at creating one of the most comprehensive and accessible lupus research datasets ever assembled. This effort will generate numerous molecular datasets using biospecimens collected through the Lupus Landmark Study, a key component of the Lupus Nexus. These molecular datasets, integrated with robust clinical data, including both clinician- and patient-reported outcomes, represent a first for a private nonprofit in the lupus research space. Press release.

HP is partnering up with Tecan to launch the Duo Digital Dispenser, a new solution designed to simplify how researchers isolate individual cells and develop new therapeutics. Powered by HP’s inkjet technology, Duo combines the capabilities of the D300e Digital Dispenser and the Uno Single Cell Dispenser, delivering an advancement in speed and precision for cancer research and other critical applications in life sciences. By combining single-cell and reagent dispensing into one system, the new instrument significantly improves lab efficiency, reducing sample processing time, increasing reproducibility, and cutting down on labware waste and reagent use. Press blog.

Using the gene scissors CRISPR and stem cells, researchers at Stockholm University and the UK Dementia Research Institute (UK DRI) at King's College London have managed to identify a common denominator for different gene mutations that all cause the neurological disease ALS. The research shows that ALS-linked dysfunction occurs in the energy factories of nerve cells, the mitochondria, before the cells show other signs of disease, which was not previously known. The research team was able to establish that these problems were common to all ALS-caused mutations, which will be important for future treatments of the disease. Press release.

Purdue University’s College of Pharmacy announced the Center for Research Innovation in Biotechnology (CRIB) and the Clinical Drug Experience Knowledgebase (CDEK), a comprehensive database of every active pharmaceutical ingredient with evidence of clinical testing. CRIB is a collaborative effort between Purdue and Stony Brook University. It was founded in 2014 at Washington University in St. Louis by Michael Kinch, a former Purdue faculty member, who is now Stony Brook’s chief innovation officer and CRIB’s director. The center provides transparent information and analyses of drug discovery and development via CDEK. The knowledgebase includes information at the intersection of science, medicine, business and law surrounding pharmaceuticals. Press release.

Rady Children’s Institute for Genomic Medicine (RCIGM) has announced a partnership with Alexion, AstraZeneca Rare Disease, which has now become the inaugural Platinum member of the BeginNGS Consortium. This milestone builds upon nearly a decade of prior collaboration, reflecting a shared commitment to accelerating innovation in the realm of rare genetic disease diagnostics. The Consortium is positioned to transform newborn screening through the integration of whole genome sequencing (WGS), setting a new standard for early and precise detection of hundreds of serious childhood genetic conditions worldwide. Press release.

In the largest clinical genomic profiling study of non-Hispanic Black men with metastatic prostate cancer to date, researchers from Moffitt Cancer Center, University of Pennsylvania, University of California Los Angeles, and the Veterans Affairs (VA) National Precision Oncology Program found key differences in tumor biology between non-Hispanic Black and non-Hispanic white veterans, but similar survival outcomes when both groups had equal access to care. The study, published in JAMA Network Open, analyzed data from more than 5,000 U.S. veterans with metastatic prostate cancer who underwent next-generation sequencing between 2019 and 2023. It found that while non-Hispanic Black veterans had higher rates of actionable immunotherapy targets, non-Hispanic white veterans had more frequent alterations in androgen receptor signaling and DNA repair pathways. Despite these biological differences, survival outcomes were comparable in the equal-access VA setting. Press release.

Texas Children's Hospital and The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center announced a $150 million gift from Kinder Foundation. The gift creates Kinder Children's Cancer Center, a joint venture of UT MD Anderson Cancer Center and Texas Children's Hospital, with a single mission: to end childhood cancer. The gift is one of the largest philanthropic donations made to an American pediatric hospital and one of the largest in the history of the Texas Medical Center (TMC). With this support, Kinder Children's Cancer Center aims to be the nation's largest and most comprehensive cancer center focused exclusively on children. Press release.

Secarna announced the signing of a research and option agreement for a scientific and strategic collaboration with one of Curie.Bio's portfolio companies. Under the agreement, Secarna will leverage its OligoCreator platform to design and develop oligonucleotide candidates against an undisclosed target, helping accelerate the discovery of novel oligonucleotide therapies. In return, Secarna will receive a technology access fee, research funding, and warrants to purchase shares in the portfolio company upon achievement of predefined success milestones. Press release.

Mass General Brigham developed a deep learning algorithm called FaceAge that uses a photo of a person’s face to predict biological age and survival outcomes for patients with cancer. They found that patients with cancer, on average, had a higher FaceAge than those without and appeared about five years older than their chronological age. Older FaceAge predictions were associated with worse overall survival outcomes across multiple cancer types. They also found that FaceAge outperformed clinicians in predicting short-term life expectancies of patients receiving palliative radiotherapy. The results were published in The Lancet Digital Health. Press release.