Yes, we understand that you can’t always move your specimens to an off-site biorepository. In that case, your lab will index the specimens in our software and continue to store them on site. Once we request a specimen for a research project, your lab will determine which of these indexed specimens have sufficient material for research use as part of the verification process. You’ll then send those verified specimens to Ovation’s biorepository, or—if your lab has the capabilities—peform research testing on these specimens.

We’re interested in most types of samples that your lab collects that contain enough human DNA or RNA to get value from. The model is to cast a wide net and capture samples from a broad patient population across different therapeutic areas.

You do not need to use Ovation LIMS to participate in the Ovation Research Network. We do have software that we’ll help you get in place to serve as the informatics infrastructure for the collection, cataloging, and shipment of the samples, but it’s okay if your LIMS is separate from Ovation.

Of course, things are a bit less complicated if you’re using Ovation as your LIMS provider as well, so we encourage using it for your molecular testing. Still, we understand this is not always possible and would love for your lab to participate in ORN anyways.

We’re always looking to characterize these samples as fully as possible when we pull them out of the biorepository, which is why we’re typically performing a wide range of testing, including:

• Total nucleic acid extraction from those samples (collecting both DNA and RNA from those libraries)
• Whole-genome sequencing
• RNA (Whole-exome) sequencing
• Determining disease vs. normal tissue within the sample

As you can see from the above, almost any lab can perform at least some of the research testing we’re doing in the network.

Ovation will ensure that patient samples and information are de-identified in accordance with the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) Privacy Rule before they’re entered into Ovation’s database. Internationally recognized experts on health data privacy have assessed Ovation’s database (design and structure), policies, and data processing routines and determined that they meet the de-identification requirements, satisfying the “Expert Determination” method outlined in the HIPAA Privacy Rule (45 CFR 164.514(b)(1)).

Unlike specimen procurement companies, Ovation is bringing diagnostic labs into the real-world data business. We’re creating a clinicogenomic database that aims to fundamentally change the way that preclinical research is done today. This includes giving diagnostic labs the opportunity to participate by performing paid research testing and accessing aggregated data for their internal assay development and validation. In other words, this is not a transactional relationship. It’s a long-term partnership.