Commercial biotechnology venture launched

Medical history was created in Sri Lanka when Credence Genomics, a commercial biotechnology venture, equipped with next generation sequencing technology was launched recently at the SLFI. Doctors, professionals and corporate leaders were present.

The team behind this pioneering venture are Dr. Vaz Santosh Gnanam, Raj K. Omprasadham, Ananda Atukorale and Malaka Talwatta - have succeeded where few have dared to venture and are the first such entity in Sri Lanka, and in fact are among a handful in the world at the forefront of this field, a company spokesman said.

Joint Managing Director Dr Vaz Gnanam said, "As the founders of Credence Genomics, it is our objective to become a global leader in Genomics through research, design and development of clinically actionable diagnostics and predictive products and services that change lives".

"The main scope of predictive medicine entails predicting the probability of disease and instituting specific preventive measures to either prevent the disease altogether or significantly decrease its impact upon the patient improving the quality of life," he said.

Thermo Fisher are the equipment providers to Credence Genomics.

Senior Director, Medical Sciences, Asia Pacific and Japan, Life Sciences Solutions, Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc. Dr. Michael Paumen introduced the potential of Thermo Fisher Scientific's Ion Torrent NGS technologies in the clinical environment, with a focus on oncology.

In the healthcare sector, Credence Genomics focuses on predictive and preventive testing to improve and enhance life expectancy.

The comprehensive sequencing and bioinformatics services offered by the company are available for various commercial sciences, medical, agricultural, marine applications.