Bioinformatics, an increasingly popular field of research…

You have probably heard talk of bioinformatics – it is an increasingly popular field of research – but do you really know what it is, and how it is affecting research carried out in our area?

In short, bioinformatics is about applying statistical and computational techniques to the analysis of biological systems. This is of particular interest in relation to the genome, where a growing number of academics and companies are interested in the applications of genetic analysis in the fields of clinical care, digital health, and personalised medicine.

In this article Amanda Simons, and Richard Morris from leading patent and trade mark firm J A Kemp, look at the topic of genomics. Since the completion of the Human Genomics Project in 2003, a number of projects have sought to sequence the genomes of large numbers of individuals in order to better understand the variation in genetic information across populations, and how it is linked to the different characteristics of individuals. For example, in 2012 the UK government announced the 100,000 Genomes project, administered by Genomics England, which aimed to sequence the genomes of 100,000 NHS patients. The project focussed in particular on individuals with rare diseases or conditions, and was completed in 2018.

Although around 99.9% of human DNA is identical between individuals, analysing the possible interactions between variations in the remaining 0.1% still represents a daunting problem. Analysing these data is the focus of the rapidly growing field of genomics, a subfield of bioinformatics specifically concerned with the analysis of whole genomes. Falling costs of genome sequencing, and huge increases in computing power over recent years, have made it possible to analyse genetic data on a scale not previously envisaged. Sophisticated statistical tools are used to analyse correlations between variations in an individual’s DNA, and their physical characteristics. The results can provide powerful insights into how these variations affect risk of disease or response to particular stimuli or drugs.

These insights are of particular interest to pharmaceutical companies and health care providers. The response of an individual to a particular drug or treatment is often difficult to predict, and a large amount of time and money is routinely wasted in finding which treatment option is most effective for a given individual. Genomics has the potential to much more accurately predict an individual’s response based on their genetics. This could revolutionise care by allowing health service providers to give patients highly personalised and more effective treatment.

And there is plenty of work going on in this field on our doorstep. For instance, the world’s largest health-focused big data institute opened in Oxford a few years back. This encompasses the aptly named Big Data Institute (BDI), which brings together researchers in genomics, statistics, health data and other related fields. The BDI is already working in partnership with Novartis, for example, to bring forward various genomics-related programs.

A challenging problem in the genomics field, though, is the accurate and reliable identification of correlations between genetics and physical characteristics. The interactions between different regions of the genome are complex, and the effects of any individual genetic variation may be small – this means you may only detect a physical difference by looking across a range of small genetic variations. This type of problem lends itself to sophisticated statistical algorithms, and computational analysis. A lot of work is being invested in developing new genomic algorithms and techniques.

Protection for the tools and algorithms that companies develop is very important to allow them to commercialise their ideas, encourage investment, and continue developing new and improved techniques. There is a common misconception that this type of invention, typically implemented in software, is not eligible for patent protection. In fact, the European Patent Office, and other offices around the world, routinely grant applications for new technical software inventions. These can provide valuable protection for companies working in this sector.

Amanda is a patent attorney with over 20 years’ professional experience focused on the pharmaceutical and medtech sectors, including medical sensors and other medical equipment. She also has experience in a broad range of chemical technologies including polymers, alloys and glasses. Amanda routinely advises on overall patent strategy and portfolio management, including due diligence and freedom to operate matters.

Richard joined J A Kemp in 2017 and works in the firm’s Oxford office. He has worked on drafting and prosecuting patent applications for a number of clients local to the Oxford area, including from the university and its spin-out companies.

Amanda Simons – Partner, Patent Attorney asimons@jakemp.com  | Tel: 01865 406100

Richard Morris – Trainee Patent Attorney rmorris@jakemp.com

Protecting IP in Life Science

To maximise the value of your life science inventions you need patent attorneys with the skills to protect them. With over 30 attorneys active in life science fields and offices in Oxford, London, Cambridge, Paris and Munich. J A Kemp has one of Europe’s largest concentrations of pharmaceutical and biotech expertise. Find us on the Oxford Science Park. www.jakemp.com