On May 11, 2020, Regeneron and the Colorado Center for Personalized Medicine (CCPM) at the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus announced a large-scale research collaboration designed to advance the field of human genetics and precision medicine through the sharing of 450,000 DNA samples and corresponding health records from de-identified, consented patient participants in the expansive UCHealth system. The Regeneron Genetics Center (RGC), a wholly owned subsidiary of Regeneron, has entered into the collaboration with CCPM and will sequence these samples, producing genomic data that can be used to facilitate translational medical research and ultimately enable physicians to make better decisions for their patients.

The CCPM is one of the largest health data warehouses in the United States and a pioneer in the use of a secure cloud platform with more than 8.7 million de-identified patient records. The five-year old research enterprise is also one of the first and largest programs in the country to integrate personalized genomic information with clinical data via a research biobank. CCPM physicians will validate any genetic findings from the RGC data in their CLIA-certified lab, enabling the return of clinically-actionable results to patients.

The RGC has built one of the world’s largest genetics databases, pairing the sequenced exomes and de-identified electronic health records of more than one million people, through collaborations with more than 80 global healthcare and academic institutions. Building upon Regeneron’s strengths in genetics-driven drug discovery, the information secured from this initiative will allow for the elucidation, on a large scale, of genetic factors that cause or influence a range of human diseases.

The RGC and CCPM will create a comprehensive, large-scale genomics database comprising approximately 450,000 fully annotated, whole exome sequences for discovery research and to support patient care at UCHealth. The goal of the partnership is to leverage de-identified genetic information from consenting patients with large sets of corresponding medical data that will ultimately build a warehouse of information useful for the discovery of genetic factors that could inform clinical care. For the newly-established CCPM, this enterprise will exponentially expand biobank research capabilities.

The University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus is a world-class medical destination at the forefront of transformative science, medicine, education, and patient care. The campus encompasses the University of Colorado health professional schools, more than 60 centers and institutes, and two nationally ranked hospitals that treat more than 2 million adult and pediatric patients each year. Innovative, interconnected and highly collaborative, together we deliver life-changing treatments, patient care, professional training, and conduct world-renowned research powered by more than $550 million in research awards.