Veteran Genoptix and Gen-Probe Executive, Brian Hansen, joins Adaptive Biotechnologies as Chief Commercial Officer

SEATTLE, Sept. 16, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- Adaptive Biotechnologies, a clinical stage diagnostics company that leverages Next Generation Sequencing (NGS) to profile the adaptive immune system, is pleased to announce the appointment of Brian Hansen as Chief Commercial Officer (CCO). The addition of Brian to the Company's expanding Executive Leadership Team follows recent key hires from leading global healthcare companies, including Dean Schorno (CFO) and Kathleen Determann (General Counsel) from Genomic Health and Sean Nolan (CTO) from Microsoft's Healthvault.   

"Brian has a proven track record as a commercial leader in the diagnostics industry, having grown both the Genoptix and Gen-Probe commercial organizations.  The addition of an established oncology diagnostics veteran is highly advantageous as Adaptive shifts focus from research to the commercialization of clinical diagnostics, particularly in hematology and oncology, where Mr. Hansen has such deep relevant experience," said Chad Robins, President and Chief Executive Officer at Adaptive Biotechnologies. "Brian will enable us to tap into the community oncology and pathology channel relationships that he has built as we expand the reach of our clinical diagnostic test, clonoSEQ, for measuring Minimal Residual Disease in blood cancers."

Mr. Hansen has over 20 years of sales and leadership experience in the clinical diagnostics industry, with a successful track record of managing high performance sales and service teams. Most recently at Genopitx, a Novartis owned company focused on developing and commercializing diagnostic tests to improve physicians' ability to optimize patient outcomes, Mr. Hansen was responsible for a commercial organization of 200 employees consisting of sales, marketing, training, market access, market insights, health economics and client services.  He led a commercial turnaround in 2013. Prior to Genoptix, Mr. Hansen held the position of Sr. Vice President of Global Sales and Service and led the successful integration of the diagnostic businesses in the Hologic acquisition.

"Adaptive's immunosequencing platform is truly revolutionary as it will enable clinicians to make more accurate treatment decisions based on a patient's individual immune system.  I am excited to apply my skillset and directly comparable experience bringing novel diagnostics to practicing hematologists and oncologists as the Company transitions to a commercial organization."

Mr. Hansen will oversee Adaptive's sales, customer relations, marketing, billing, and reimbursement functions.

About Adaptive Biotechnologies

Adaptive Biotechnologies Corporation is a platform-based, diagnostic-driven company that leverages next generation sequencing ("NGS") to profile T-Cell and B-Cell Receptors ("TCRs" and "BCRs").  This breakthrough enables in-depth characterization of the adaptive immune system, which is the primary defense against cancer. By incorporating immunosequencing into clinical care, Adaptive can enhance the diagnosis, prognosis, and monitoring of cancer patients.

About clonoSEQ^TM
Adaptive's first CLIA certified clinical application, clonoSEQ^TM, is for monitoring Minimal Residual Disease ("MRD") in blood-based cancers. Improving the ability to accurately detect and track residual disease at a molecular level affords clinicians the potential to detect relapse earlier and improve patient care.

About immunoSEQ^TM
Adaptive incubates and validates potential clinical products in oncology, autoimmune disorders, and infectious diseases by offering fee-for-service access to its proprietary immune profiling sequencing technology under the brand name immunoSEQ^TM.  Adaptive will be introducing an immunoSEQ Kit for research use only in the fall of 2014 to facilitate the integration of immunosequencing into research centers globally.

Using the immunoSEQ platform, the company is currently validating a second novel oncology diagnostic to quantify the presence and clonality of Tumor Infiltrating Lymphocytes ("TIL") and to create a reliable measure of "immunocompetency" to predict or monitor response to cancer treatments that directly alter the host immune system.

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SOURCE Adaptive Biotechnologies