PR99419

NEW YORK, Jan. 11, 2023 /PRNewswire=KYODO JBN/--

- The genome database will power ongoing scientific efforts worldwide and help

advance individualized pet health care

- Insights from this partnership will feed into the MARS PETCARE BIOBANK(TM), a

longitudinal study to understand pet health and disease, transforming pet care

for future generations of dogs and cats

- Mars Petcare Science & Diagnostics President, Nefertiti Greene, hailed the

partnership as an “important milestone” and “integral to drive scientific

breakthroughs for the future of pet health”

Mars Petcare is partnering with the Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, a world

leader in the genetic and molecular analysis of diseases, to create one of the

largest open access cat and dog genome databases in the world.

Genomes from 10,000 dogs and 10,000 cats enrolled in the  MARS PETCARE

BIOBANK(TM) (https://marspetcarebiobank.com/ ) initiative will be sequenced

over the next 10 years. Insights from the open access database can help advance

individualized pet health care for future generations of dogs and cats.

The full genome sequence and variant data of the 20,000 pets will be made

publicly available via the National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI)

Sequence Read Archive, enabling scientific investigation across a range of

areas, such as in-depth dog- and cat-breed ancestry, new genetic mutations

specific to certain dog and cat breeds and how they link to diseases, as well

as pets’ aging process.

Mars Petcare anticipates releasing the first raw genome sequences as soon as

they become available throughout 2023, with additional, processed data to

follow as pets are enrolled in the biobank study. Mars Petcare scientists will

be analyzing data and publishing initial results for the scientific community

throughout 2023 and beyond.

Nefertiti Greene, Mars Petcare Science & Diagnostics President, said:

“The opportunity to better understand cat and dog genetics through specifically

designed gene sequencing studies is an important milestone that will help us

deliver on our Purpose: A Better World For Pets. Together with our partners at

the Broad Institute we hope to find several key ways to provide clinically

focused, real-world data. This is essential for developing more effective

precision medicines and that lead to scientific breakthroughs for the future of

pet health.”

By connecting the in-depth genome sequencing data to biological samples, health

and lifestyle data from 20,000 dogs and cats in the MARS PETCARE BIOBANK(TM)

study, Mars Petcare aims to find new ways to prevent or predict a wide range of

conditions so that veterinary teams can provide tailored solutions to

individual pets and improve health outcomes.

Jennifer Welser, DVM, DACVO, Chief Medical Officer, Mars Veterinary Health,

said:

“Our latest initiative with the Broad Institute is hugely exciting when it

comes to advancing preventive pet care. This project could help us further

understand how we can build individualized pet care solutions for each unique

dog or cat, which has the potential to become part of routine healthcare

practice.  As veterinarians, we’re always looking to improve patient outcomes

and for new ways to solve some of the most pressing pet healthcare challenges

such as obesity, skin conditions, dental disease, infectious and zoonotic

diseases, orthopedic disorders and, of course, cancer. I look forward to seeing

how the open access data can enable new insights supporting individualized pet

health.”

Sequencing and analysis will be spearheaded by Elinor Karlsson, director of the

Vertebrate Genomics Group at Broad Institute and professor of bioinformatics

and integrative biology at UMass Chan Medical School. The Broad Institute is a

world leader in providing genetic information for biobank projects, creating

the databases and tools that have made possible systematic studies of the

genetic basis of disease.

Prof Elinor Karlsson, Director of the Vertebrate Genomics Group, Broad

Institute, said:

“We’re excited to partner with Mars Petcare to establish an open access

resource of full-genome sequences for thousands of pet cats and dogs living in

homes across the United States. Making this data fully accessible to the global

scientific community will provide new insight into the ancient origins of dogs

and cats—who have lived by our sides for thousands of years—and support

research projects focused on improving healthcare for pets living today.”

The MARS PETCARE BIOBANK(TM)  and genome sequencing initiatives are part of

Mars Petcare’s long-standing commitment to investing in science, technology and

innovation. The company has a well-established history in driving

transformative pet health innovation through the Waltham Petcare Science

Institute (https://www.waltham.com/), which has focused on pet health for over

50 years; and through Mars Veterinary Health( https://www.waltham.com/ ), a

network of 2,500 veterinary clinics and Antech diagnostic labs across more than

20 countries.

About Mars Petcare

Mars Petcare is part of Mars, Incorporated, a family-owned business with more

than a century of history making diverse products and offering services for

people and the pets people love. Our almost 100,000 Associates across 130

countries are dedicated to one purpose: A BETTER WORLD FOR PETS. With 85 years

of experience, our portfolio of almost 50 brands serves the health and

nutrition needs of the world's pets – including brands PEDIGREE(R)  

(https://www.pedigree.com/), WHISKAS(R)(https://www.whiskas.com/), ROYAL

CANIN(R) (https://www.royalcanin.com/us), SHEBA(R)( https://www.sheba.com/),

CESAR(R) (https://www.cesar.com/), GREENIES(TM) (https://www.greenies.com/),  

IAMS(TM) (https://www.iams.com/) and EUKANUBA(TM) (https://www.eukanuba.com/us)

as well as the WALTHAM Petcare Science Institute (https://waltham.com/) which

has advanced research in the nutrition and health of pets for over 50 years.

Mars Petcare is also a leading veterinary health provider through an

international network of more than 2,500 pet hospitals and diagnostic services

including AniCura(https://www.anicuragroup.com/), Antech

(https://www.antechdiagnostics.com/)Asia Veterinary Diagnostics

(https://avd.asia/)BANFIELD(https://www.banfield.com/), BLUEPEARL

(https://bluepearlvet.com/), Linnaeus (https://www.linnaeusgroup.co.uk/), Mount

Pleasant (https://www.mountpleasant.com.sg/), VCA (https://vcahospitals.com/),

VES(https://www.veshospital.com.sg/), and VSH(https://www.vsh.com.hk/). We're

also active in innovation and technology for pets, with WISDOM

PANEL(TM)(https://www.wisdompanel.com/en-gb) genetic health screening and DNA

testing for dogs, the WHISTLE(TM)(https://www.whistle.com/) GPS dog tracker,

and LEAP VENTURE STUDIO (https://www.leapventurestudio.com/) accelerator and

COMPANION FUND(TM)(https://companionfund.com/) programs that drive innovation

and disruption in the pet care industry. As a family business

(https://www.mars.com/) and guided by our principles

(https://www.mars.com/about/five-principles), we are building a thriving and

inclusive workforce reflective of the many pets and communities we serve,

privileged with the flexibility to fight for what we believe in. And we choose

to fight for our Purpose: A BETTER WORLD FOR PETS.

Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1979684/Mars_Petcare_Logo.jpg

Source: Mars Petcare