Ambry Genetics Acquires Progeny Software, LLC

April 01, 2015

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Ambry Genetics
1 Enterprise
Aliso Viejo, CA 92656

Aliso Viejo, CA – April 1, 2015 – Ambry Genetics (“Ambry”) announces the acquisition of Progeny Software, LLC, in an agreement for which the terms remain confidential. This acquisition marries the premier clinical genetics laboratory with the gold standard pedigree software company, effectively redefining Ambry as a complete genetics services company on the forefront of personalized medicine. 

Ambry sought to integrate Progeny into its own laboratory information management system (LIMS) to simplify its clients’ workflow by using Progeny’s powerful pedigree software solutions and risk assessment tools, while making the genetic testing process efficient, more appropriately ordered, and better understood.

Ambry Genetic Counselor and Product Manager, Carin Espenschied, MS, CGC, was instrumental in this collaboration. “The scientist and genetic counselor in me nearly jumped out of my skin thinking of all the ways we can improve the testing process, results interpretation, and patient follow-up with this partnership. This will be incredibly valuable not just for hereditary cancer testing, but for all specialties we focus on at Ambry.”

“We were starting to build tools like this internally, but then I met Michael Brammer and within 24 hours we had an agreement. I realized how much further ahead they were, ahead of everyone else,” said Ambry CEO Charles Dunlop. “Our client lists were almost identical – not surprising since both of us have prioritized over the last 15-20 years to always do the right thing, and we have the reputations to match. It was just natural to partner with them. Michael is a fantastic executive I’m excited to call part of the Ambry family.”

Michael Brammer remains CEO of Progeny, a subsidiary of Ambry. He offered, “I wouldn’t have made this deal with anyone but Ambry Genetics. Everything they do is for the betterment of the genetics community as a whole and they’ve shown that for the 15 years I’ve been watching them. We’ve tried to behave similarly at Progeny. Joining forces just made too much sense. Charlie and I both had the idea of merging within minutes.” David DeRam, Co-Founder of Progeny, added, “The Progeny family is excited to join forces with Ambry and be under the Ambry flag.”

This partnership also facilitates research collaborations with top institutions that are both Ambry and Progeny clients. It allows even more opportunities for top priorities at both companies – population-based research and sharing data, to increase the understanding of inherited disorders and improve patient care.

Mark Pian, MD, formerly of UCSD School of Medicine and UCSD/Rady Children’s Hospital Cystic Fibrosis Center, will lead a group of medical professionals including bioethicists, geneticists, and genetic counselors on Progeny’s Advisory Board. Dr. Pian said, “Our aim is to maintain practices that realize the maximum benefit to our clients and to society that aligning clinical information with genetic testing results offers. We will do this while both anticipating changes in the regulatory environment and protecting patient privacy.”

Progeny and Ambry both currently offer secure, HIPAA-compliant online access to their products. The new partnership will build upon existing quality and service that clients have already come to expect from both companies.