Nebula Genomics announced June 11 its partnership with EMD Serono, the biopharmaceutical business of Merck KGaA in Darmstadt, Germany, for a pilot projected aimed at developing new medicines.
EMD Serono will use Nebula Genomics' database of anonymized genomic data, which is stored on a blockchain, to analyze what causes diseases. Further, the collaboration is designed to accelerate scientific discovery and drug development.
Nebula Genomics is building a platform that connects patients and consumers with researchers and incentivizes data sharing. The genomics company uses blockchain technology to allow patients to control who can access their genomic data. Patients are then paid with cryptocurrency for contributing to research.
By using blockchain technology, Nebula Genomics hopes to drive more participation in biomedical research.