SAN DIEGO, Dec. 14, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Bionano Genomics, Inc. (Nasdaq: BNGO), today announced the publication of a special issue of Cancers journal entirely dedicated to the Company’s optical genome mapping (OGM) workflow. The issue, which features guest editors Dr. Adam Smith from University of Toronto, Dr. Gordana Raca from Children’s Hospital Los Angeles, and Dr. Alexander Hoischen from Radboud University Medical Center, includes eight peer-reviewed publications, with three additional publications expected to come, covering the use of OGM in hematological malignancy research and demonstrating its potential to offer significant research insights in a simple and effective workflow.

In an editorial, Drs. Smith, Raca and Hoischen describe the advantages OGM has over traditional cytogenetic methods of analysis, including karyotyping (KT), fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH), and chromosomal microarray analysis (CMA), such as higher resolution and the ability to detect impactful structural variants (SVs). The guest editors also discuss limitations of long and short-read sequencing for SV detection, including challenges with resolution, sensitivity, throughput, achieved coverage, and price per genome. The guest editors note that OGM offers benefits for laboratory adoption, due to its cost-efficient and easily scalable workflow and simple analysis pipeline and software system.  They conclude that OGM could enable “next generation cytogenetics” due to its potential to replace traditional cytogenetic methods and detect variants that may increase the understanding of hematologic malignancies and further expand hematological research.

The issue’s other publications, authored by researchers from the United States, Canada, Germany, Finland, and a consortium of Spanish laboratories, cover research indications including acute myeloid leukemia (AML), chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL), myeloma and myeloid cancers. These publications include findings that demonstrate OGM’s high level of concordance with traditional methods for the detection of SVs, ability to identify additional pathogenic SVs missed by those methods, contributions to comprehensive tumor profiling, and potential to influence disease classification and risk prognostication.

“I personally believe the importance of OGM for hematological malignancies research cannot be overstated.  What I have seen over my career as a molecular cytogeneticist is that oncologists need more information.  The papers published in this dedicated issue elegantly illustrate how information provided by OGM surpasses the capabilities of the current tools in cancer research.  I want to congratulate the co-editors on creating such an impactful compilation of important research results and original papers,” commented Alka Chaubey, PhD, FACMG, chief medical officer of Bionano.

“This special edition of Cancers dedicated to OGM is a significant milestone for the technique and for people in the various fields of genome analysis who are looking for ways to move the community forward. We were pleased to see the guest editors and publication authors share findings that underscore OGM’s potential to replace traditional cytogenetic methods and show that OGM offers significant benefits that sequencing can’t offer. We agree with the editors’ note that OGM is a powerful tool in the cytogenetics repertoire that may contribute to the growth and relevance of the field,” stated Erik Holmlin, PhD, president and chief executive officer of Bionano. 

The publication can be found here.

About Bionano
Bionano is a provider of genome analysis solutions that can enable researchers and clinicians to reveal answers to challenging questions in biology and medicine. The Company’s mission is to transform the way the world sees the genome through OGM solutions, diagnostic services and software. The Company offers OGM solutions for applications across basic, translational and clinical research. Through its Lineagen, Inc. d/b/a Bionano Laboratories business, the Company also provides diagnostic testing for patients with clinical presentations consistent with autism spectrum disorder and other neurodevelopmental disabilities. The Company also offers an industry-leading, platform-agnostic software solution, which integrates next-generation sequencing and microarray data designed to provide analysis, visualization, interpretation and reporting of copy number variants, single-nucleotide variants and absence of heterozygosity across the genome in one consolidated view. The Company additionally offers nucleic acid extraction and purification solutions using proprietary isotachophoresis technology. For more information, visit www.bionano.com, www.bionanolaboratories.com or www.purigenbio.com. 

Unless specifically noted otherwise, Bionano’s OGM products are for research use only and not for use in diagnostic procedures.

Forward-Looking Statements of Bionano
This press release contains forward-looking statements contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Words such as “believe,” “can,” “could,” “may,” “potential” and similar expressions (as well as other words or expressions referencing future events, conditions or circumstances and the negatives thereof) convey uncertainty of future events or outcomes and are intended to identify these forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements include statements regarding our intentions, beliefs, projections, outlook, analyses or current expectations concerning, among other things: the ability and utility of OGM to detect SVs relevant to hematologic malignancies and hematological research; the potential of OGM to detect SVs compared to traditional cytogenetic techniques and long- and short-read sequencing; the potential of OGM to offer benefits for laboratory adoption; and other statements that are not historical facts. Each of these forward-looking statements involves risks and uncertainties. Actual results or developments may differ materially from those projected or implied in these forward-looking statements. Factors that may cause such a difference include the risks and uncertainties associated with: the impact of geopolitical and macroeconomic developments, such as recent and future bank failures, the ongoing Ukraine-Russia conflict, related sanctions, the Israel-Hamas war, and any global pandemics, on our business and the global economy; challenges inherent in developing, manufacturing and commercializing products; our ability to further deploy new products and applications and expand the markets for our technology platforms; failure of OGM to detect SVs relevant to hematologic malignancies and hematological research; failure of OGM to detect SVs compared to traditional cytogenetic techniques and long- and short-read sequencing; failure of OGM to offer benefits for laboratory adoption; future publications that contradict or do not support the statements in the special issue of Cancers; our expectations and beliefs regarding future growth of the business and the markets in which we operate; changes in our strategic and commercial plans; our ability to obtain sufficient financing to fund our strategic plans and commercialization efforts and our ability to continue as a “going concern”; and including the risks and uncertainties described in our filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including, without limitation, our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2022 and in other filings subsequently made by us with the Securities and Exchange Commission. All forward-looking statements contained in this press release speak only as of the date on which they were made and are based on management’s assumptions and estimates as of such date. We are under no duty to update any of these forward-looking statements after the date they are made to conform these statements to actual results or revised expectations, except as required by law. You should, therefore, not rely on these forward-looking statements as representing our views as of any date subsequent to the date the statements are made. Moreover, except as required by law, neither we nor any other person assumes responsibility for the accuracy and completeness of the forward-looking statements contained in this press release.

CONTACTS

Company Contact:
Erik Holmlin, CEO
Bionano Genomics, Inc.
+1 (858) 888-7610
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Investor Relations:
David Holmes
Gilmartin Group
+1 (858) 888-7625
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