34 GHP Biotechnology Awards 2023 Cutting-edge biotechnology company, SkylineDx uses its expertise to bridge the gap between academic gene expression signatures and commercially available diagnostic products. Specialising in oncology, the company helps healthcare professionals to determine the type and status of disease and predict patient responses to treatment. We had a conversation with company’s CEO Dharminder Chahal to find out more. Best Molecular Diagnostics R&D Company - Europe ith its headquarters and a laboratory in Rotterdam, Netherlands, and a certified laboratory in San Diego, California, SkylineDx epitomises collaboration. The company partners with clinicians and researchers around the world to develop gene signature-based diagnostic tests. Dharminder tells us, “At SkylineDx, we live to make a difference. It’s our mission to improve the patient’s quality of life. We do that by providing personal insights into their disease at a genomic level. Based on the results of our tests, healthcare professionals are able to tailor treatment to the individual patient.” Always innovating in its field, SkylineDx recently developed a test for skin cancer in collaboration with Mayo Clinic. SkylineDx introduced the product to the EU and US markets in 2022 as the Merlin™ test. Dharminder says, “It was challenging to design and execute the clinical development during the COVID-19 pandemic, across different locations and time zones. Knowing the value this test could bring to patients and the healthcare system as a whole carried us through. Cross-functional teams pulled together to determine strategies to speed up the development. With healthcare resources scarce, we knew the Merlin™ test would help services facilitate triage and prioritise care.” The increasing number of patients receiving cancer diagnoses puts pressure on often understaffed services. Tests such as Merlin™ allow the deployment of human resources where they are most needed, optimising and personalising treatment plans to each patient’s needs. Dharminder explains, “Physicians need the right diagnostic tools and supporting clinical data to educate patients and enable shared decision-making. Individualised care is feasible, taking into account guidelines, protocols, and financial implications. Robust clinical studies show the benefits of using appropriate diagnostic tools.” The company attributes its success so far to the uniqueness of its team. Laboratory professionals, scientists, and specialists in bioinformatics, product development, marketing, and project management all unite their efforts to find the best solutions possible. Colleagues on both sides of the ocean are drawn together by their passion for the company’s mission. Focusing on advancement beyond technological diagnostic platforms, SkylineDx has developed commercialised tests and a pipeline of tools that are set to change healthcare for the better. Although SkylineDx’s strengths so far have proven to be in the fields of oncology and haematology, the company is set to venture into new areas. SkylineDx’s long-term vision includes investment to develop the full potential of biomarkers and gene signatures. Dharminder tells us, “Through our R&D programmes, we are venturing into new technologies, diseases, and healthcare systems. This year, we will announce new partnerships in the development and commercialisation of our test pipeline. Our aim is to become a reference for how to translate academic findings into advanced diagnostics across a diversity of diseases, making a true difference. Our focus so far has been on the US, the EU, and the UK, and we plan to expand that. R&D programmes in the area of complex diseases need the knowledge, commitment, and perseverance of a team such as ours.” Contact: Olga Lazarskaya Company: SkylineDx Web Address: https://www.skylinedx.com/ W Jan23194
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