Bina Introduces Pay-Per-User Genomic Analysis

Bina Technologies is introducing a versatile pay-per-use concept that helps it grow its footprint and get users used to its genomic analysis appliances. Under Bina On-Demand, the company plans to install its expensive genomic analysis appliances at universities without charging a cent and charge only if and when researchers use it. This is similar to the coke or snack vending machine in offices and colleges, which only charge users who want a coke or a snack from the machine.

Universities and other interested establishments this way get Bina’s specialized genomic analysis without paying a dime for purchasing, installation, training or maintenance. The appliance in question is the hardware platform called the Bina Box, the custom operating system, the applications along with technical and training support. This appliance gets the data from a sequencer seamlessly and assembles, aligns and handles variant calling on a whole genome sample in less than three hours, while keeping privacy of the different users intact. The company claims that this setup can improve turnaround time for single genome analysis by around 100 times. This could mean a genome analysis operation that would take weeks on alternate systems, will take just a few hours.

There’s however a catch, the company expects a minimum number of users or jobs to be run each month, so as to breakeven and make money. Initially for a six month period Bina will leave its appliances in select institutions so as to get researchers to take notice and make use of it.

Alongside Bina On-Demand service, the company announced extension of its application to Whole Exome Analysis workflows. Compared to whole-genome analysis, exomes take much less time to be analyzed and can provide information on up to 85 percent of the known genetic conditions. This should be of interest to hospitals and clinics, which usually don’t have to do whole genome analysis.