Founded in 2014 by Robin Smith CEO and Kate Blanchard Chief Operating Officer Jamie Metzl as Chief Strategy Officer.

Founded in 2014, Orig3n first billed itself as a regenerative medicine company that planned to build the world’s largest stem cell bank. By 2016 it had shifted its focus to consumer DNA testing. It doesn’t need FDA approval to claim it can assess how well people metabolize fats, what hair products are best for their genes, or whether they’re likelier than the next person to become addicted to drugs or alcohol.

The scientific community’s understanding of the genetic underpinnings of complex areas such as nutrition and fitness remains tentative at best, says Robert Green, a Harvard Medical School professor who also oversees a genomics research program. “Because DNA is hot, it is imbued with a kind of aura of scientific verisimilitude that people market these lifestyle products with,” Green says.

Orig3n Chief Scientific Officer Marcie Glicksman says the genes the company includes in tests are all rooted in peer-reviewed science. She says the results can help flag health issues that may need attention.

Smith, who has a background in scientific data management, has poured money into high-profile sponsorships and marketing events, setting up a demo test center where the 49ers play and becoming a headlining sponsor of San Francisco’s annual Bay to Breakers footrace. ¹⁾

Rene Oda - Director Product Management, Orig3n Inc ²⁾

Bahigh Acuna - General Manager - Direct To Consumer DNA , Orig3n Inc ³⁾

Our founders, Robin Y Smith, CEO and Kate Blanchard, COO were recently announced as Finalists in the Ernst and Young Entrepreneur of the Year 2018 New England Awards program. As the world’s most prestigious business award for entrepreneurs, we are so proud to be recognized as a leader at the forefront of the biotech industry.

Orig3n co-founders, Robin Smith and Kate Blanchard, bring a combined 35 plus years of experience to the groundbreaking regenerative medicine and consumer genetics industries. After previously working together for three years at Perkin Elmer after it acquired their last startup, ArtusLabs, Robin and Kate formed a remarkable partnership that is marked by ambition and dedication to social good.⁴⁾

ORIG3N is a biotechnology company, collects DNA samples and researches and develops treatments for genetically inherited diseases.

Orig3n helps people understand the links between their genes and how their minds and bodies work. The company operates an online application for selling DNA test kits, collecting genetic samples for the research and development, and provides DNA results.

ORIG3N product portfolio includes LifeProfiles, a series of genetic tests comprising FITCODE that provides reports and insights on various aspects of fitness, including metabolism, muscle strength, endurance, joints, power performance, and exercise recovery; and AURA for assessment and insight on various aspects of skin, as well as Life Capsule, a blood cell repository for regenerative medicine development.  

ORIG3N's investors include Haitong International Securities Group Vectr Ventures, Spectrum Health Ventures etc. The company has acquired Interleukin Genetics in Nov 22, 2017 to date. ⁵⁾

ORIGƷN, Inc. is disrupting personalized medicine by reprogramming Induced Pluripotent Stem (iPS) Cells to understand and control the process of tissue creation and cellular regeneration for the good of human health.

iPS cells are derived from the donated skin or blood cells of adults and, with the reactivation of four genes, are reprogrammed back to a stem cell-like state. Like embryonic stem cells, iPS cells can be reprogrammed toward any cell type in the body, but they do not require the use of embryos.

What are Induced Pluripotent Stem (iPS) cells?

Skin fibroblasts, blood or hair keratinocytes are taken in the form of a sample and are cultured into larger colonies. Those colonies are reprogrammed using four specific genes to revert the cells to a stem cell like state.  

The newly reprogrammed iPS cells are then differentiated using ORIGƷN’s proprietary programming technology. These cell lines can be used for tissue engineering, disease models or drug screening.

Some of the ways iPS cell technology can be applied are: 

​Screening libraries of cells to design new drug treatments Model disease across populations Personalized medicine by creating a individual person’s tissue to evaluate drug treatment Regenerative medicine by creating an individual’s tissue disease free ⁶⁾

ORIGƷN is engaged with world leading research organizations to produce products and services to support iPS cell research. For more information about collaboration or iPS Derived Cardiomyocytes

Cardiomyocytes (CMs) differentiated from patient-specific induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs [iPSC-CMs]) are valuable tissue specific cellular tools for the assessment of drug toxicity on the heart and the potential for cardiomyopathy.

Furthermore, iPSC-CMs from patient-specific donors provide valuable models of heritable cardiac arrhythmias, including catecholaminergic ventricular tachycardia and the congenital long QT syndrome, diseases caused by mutations in genes coding for ion channels or ion channel–associated proteins. iPS Cell Products ORIGƷN is engaged with world leading research organizations to produce products and services to support iPS cell research.

For more information about product availability and collaborations with ORIGƷN, contact us. iPS Derived Neurons Neuronal-lineage cells are produced from iPSCs using a modified two stage directed differentiation approach. The morphological characterization of the cells resemble neuronal cells with long dendritic processes and axon-like structures.

Molecular characterization of the cells demonstrate that by late-stage differentiation, the cells express the neuron specific microtubule associated protein and choline acetyltransferase, the enzyme necessary for the production of acetyl choline. ⁷⁾

By Keith Griffith For Dailymail.com Published: 15:53 EDT, 11 September 2019

The startup, which has raised some $50 million in venture capital, charges consumers between $29 and $298 to figure out which kinds of food, exercise, and beauty products are right for their particular genetic profile.

The company even claims to be able identify people's 'superhero' traits - the skills like strength, speed and intelligence that a person is genetically predisposed to excel in. ⁸⁾

Jeannette Hinkle is a reporter for The MetroWest Daily News ~ Cape Cod Times - Nov 1, 2020

Skepticism led woman to send dog DNA to Orig3n (short sample..)

Stoll said she didn’t trust Orig3n with her child’s DNA or her own, so instead, she swabbed the cheek of her dog, Ginger. After sending the kit containing Ginger’s DNA to Orig3n, she got a full report back from the company on Jan. 18, 2018, about the dog’s genetic profile, which showed, among other things, that she was likely to have mild struggles with reading.

She said she gave the company a second chance. She ordered another Childhood Development kit, and sent in a sample of tap water from her kitchen sink on March 17, 2018. Again, she got a full report back from Orig3n. According to the report, the tap water would need longer to develop skills required for language learning.

In an emailed response to a similar complaint Stoll sent to the federal Food & Drug Administration, Tim Stenzel, writing on behalf of FDA Commissioner Scott Gottlieb, said the agency takes reports like hers seriously.

“We will evaluate this matter to determine what follow-up action is appropriate,” Stenzel wrote. “The type and extent of any follow-up is dependent upon the nature of the problem, the possible impact on the public health, and the availability of our resources.”

A DPH investigation into Orig3n conducted before Stoll filed her complaint found the lab had fixed lab issues that led to the company’s failure to identify dog DNA as nonhuman.

In April 2020, despite three previous investigations by other agencies into quality control problems in Orig3n’s lab, the FDA gave the company Emergency Use Authorization to conduct coronavirus testing. In May, the DPH recommended Orig3n as a testing option for nursing homes facing deadly outbreaks.

For Stoll, the eventual finding by regulators that problems at Orig3n’s lab led to the reporting of hundreds of false positive COVID-19 tests showed a dangerous weakness in how governmental agencies are overseeing labs that test human samples, whether those tests are used for diagnostic purposes or personal betterment. False diagnostic test results can pose a danger to patients because doctors make medical decisions based on those results. ⁹⁾

Seventeen people employed by Orig3n as managers, lab technicians, software engineers, marketers, and salespeople from summer 2015 to fall 2018 say the company habitually cut corners, tampered with or fabricated results, and failed to meet basic scientific standards.

They say marketers tasked with giving consumers personalized advice based on their genetic profiles at times simply Googled advice that could be generic (wear sunscreen, eat kale) or had no basis in science (one report told a customer to eat a mix of sugar and almond oil to reduce stretch marks). “Accurate science didn’t seem to be a priority,” says the former lab tech, who, like the other former employees, spoke on condition of anonymity because of nondisclosure agreements with Orig3n and fears of retaliation. “Marketing was the priority.”

Orig3n said in a statement that the accounts of its former employees are “grossly inaccurate,” and broadly dismissed the workers as disgruntled. “In some cases, former employees are former employees for a reason,” Chief Executive Officer Robin Smith said in an interview at Orig3n’s glossy offices on the outskirts of Boston’s Seaport District.

Former employees say the Orig3n lab was sloppy: Multiple samples might be labeled with the same bar code; DNA and blood samples for the stem cell bank could get mixed up or misplaced; the lab didn’t employ controls to ensure accuracy; handling methods could invite contamination; and when a result wasn’t clear, the former employees sometimes made one up. They also say Orig3n ran tests without proper authorization in its lab at the 49ers’ stadium, and that managers regularly compelled them to write positive reviews of Orig3n’s tests on Amazon and Google to offset waves of negative feedback. ¹⁰⁾

Nov 8, 2019 17 Former Employees Accuse Orig3n of Clinical Laboratory Test Inaccuracies, Contamination, and Fabricated Test Results This is not the first time genetic-testing company Orig3n has been scrutinized by state and federal investigators over its business practices It’s not often that multiple employees of a clinical laboratory company go public with criticism about the quality of their lab company’s tests. But that is what is happening at Orig3n. Problems at the Boston-based genetic testing company were the subject of an investigative report published by Bloomberg Businessweek (Bloomberg).

Jan 10, 2018 Federal Regulators Issue Notice to DTC Test Company Orig3n That Its Purchase of Interleukin Genetics Could Involve CLIA Compliance Issues ¹¹⁾

The Democratization Of Medical Research: Why This Biotech Startup Wants Your Blood

Emily Mullin Former Contributor - Nov 20, 2015 I write about the intersection of health and humanity.

On a recent Friday afternoon in Washington, D.C., Boston biotechnology startup Orig3n pitched a tent at one of the largest running events in the United States, the Marine Corp Marathon, and asked passersby to donate a small vial of blood in the name of science. Throughout the race weekend, Orig3n attracted hundreds of visitors, which meant hundreds of new blood samples.

Orig3n’s mission is to build the largest repository of induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cells to advance research in regenerative medicine. These cells are valuable to scientists because they can be programmed into different types of embryonic-like cells that can, in turn, form various human body tissues. Since they’re grown from an individual’s own cells, the promise of iPS cells is that they won’t be rejected by the recipient’s immune system. Orig3n is focusing on creating neurons, heart cells and liver cells to study rare, genetically-inherited diseases.

When serial entrepreneur Robin Smith founded Orig3n in 2014, he first tried to take his idea to doctors and hospitals, who he hoped would convince patients to donate their cells to research. But Smith found the process too slow; it took months just to get a few samples from patients. That’s when Smith decided to cut out the middleman and go directly to the source.

The company has licensed technology to coax, or differentiate, iPS cells into other types of human cells from iPS Academia Japan. First engineered by Shinya Yamanaka at Kyoto University in Japan in 2006, the original cell reprogramming method uses viruses to introduce new DNA into adult cells. Though no iPS cell-derived therapies have been approved for humans yet, the first clinical trial using these cells is underway in Japan. These stem cells are also being used in disease modeling and drug efficacy testing at medical institutions around the world.¹²⁾

Orig3n exists at the intersection of biological science and emerging technology on a mission to advance the future of medicine. As part of its mission to democratize wellness, Orig3n empowers people by providing direct, affordable access to information about how their genes may impact their lifestyle, helping them make educated, proactive and personalized choices that may improve their well-being. Orig3n is also developing breakthrough cell therapy programs, utilizing cutting-edge cellular science to develop personalized therapies for repairing tissue damage and targeting disease. For more information, visit www.orig3n.com/our-mission/.

Media Contact - Angela Salerno-Robin angela.salerno-robin@edelman.com (312) 233-1243 SOURCE Orig3n, Inc.

With DNA Test, Boston Startup Aims To Give Athletes A Better Understanding Of Their Bodies

Boston WBUR August 14, 2017 - Shira Springer

It all starts with a cheek swab.

After twisting open a small, sealed plastic tube to remove a cotton swap, I swipe the inside of my mouth. I’m taking a DNA test at a Boston biotech startup called Orig3n.

Inside a conference room at the company’s headquarters in the Seaport District, Orig3n co-founder Kate Blanchard talks me through the process. “So now put it back in the tube,” she says. “And then put the tube back in this bag.” We’re down the hall from the cryotanks where the startup chills blood samples and the laboratory where employees process cheek swabs like mine. ¹³⁾

BOSTON, July 16, 2018 /PRNewswire/ – If you've considered testing your DNA to see how your genetics set you apart, take action on Amazon Prime Day, July 16-17. Orig3n, a Boston-based biotech company pioneering the future of medicine through genetics and regenerative medicine, today announced an exclusive product designed specifically for Prime Day to deliver superior value for Amazon Prime Members. Available for the special price of $49, Orig3n's Mind & Body DNA test delivers unique insights into the important role genes play in how the mind and body work.

“We are excited to bring this exclusive new Mind & Body DNA test to Amazon Prime members,” said Robin Y. Smith, CEO of Orig3n. “DNA is a valuable tool which helps people learn more about what makes them unique and discover how to make informed choices about their lifestyle.” ¹⁴⁾

Harris & Harris - 2016 SEC Filing

NEW YORK, NY—April 20, 2016— Harris & Harris Group, Inc. (NASDAQ: TINY), an investor in transformative companies enabled by disruptive science, announced today that its portfolio company, ORIG3N, Inc., will join three of its other portfolio companies, D-Wave Systems, Inc., HZO. Inc., and Metabolon, Inc. in the morning of presentations on Tuesday, June 7, 2016, at the New York Genome Center, 101 Ave of the Americas

Harris & Harris Group is a publicly traded, internally managed business development company that builds transformative companies from disruptive science.

ORIG3N is a biotechnology company developing a breakthrough disease-modeling platform targeting rare genetically inherited diseases. By advancing screening projects using iPSC-derived differentiated cells and rapidly delivering the resulting data to inform therapeutic decisions, ORIG3N will replace trial and error guess work of treating disease and enable longer, healthier lives. The founders are serial entrepreneurs who’s previous venture, ArtusLabs, was acquired by PerkinElmer in 2011. For more information, visit: www.orig3n.com.

About D-Wave Systems, Inc.

D-Wave Systems is a quantum computing company. Its mission is to integrate new discoveries in physics, engineering, manufacturing and computer science into breakthrough approaches to computation to help solve some of the world's most complex challenges. The company's quantum computers are built using a novel type of superconducting processor that uses quantum mechanics to massively accelerate computation. D-Wave's customers include some of the world's most prominent organizations including Lockheed Martin and Google, whose system is hosted at NASA's Ames Research Center.

With headquarters near Vancouver, Canada, D-Wave U.S. is based in Palo Alto, California. D-Wave has a blue-chip investor base including Bezos Expeditions, BDC Capital, DFJ, Goldman Sachs, Growthworks, Harris & Harris Group, In-Q-Tel, International Investment and Underwriting, and Kensington Partners Limited. ¹⁵⁾

31 articles with Orig3n

• Orig3n Announces Comprehensive Solution To Provide COVID-19 Testing For Boarding Schools
• 6/23/2020
• Orig3n, Inc., a Boston-based company pioneering the future of wellness and health through diagnostics, genetics and biotechnology, has announced a comprehensive solution to provide COVID-19 testing for boarding schools.
• Orig3n Announces Comprehensive Solution To Enable COVID-19 Testing Of Massachusetts Nursing Home Residents

• 5/12/2020
• Orig3n, Inc., a Boston-based company pioneering the future of wellness and health through genetics and biotechnology, has announced a comprehensive solution to enable COVID-19 testing for Massachusetts nursing home residents.
• Orig3n Announces Partnership with Codex Beauty
• 4/2/2020
• Orig3n and Codex Beauty announced a partnership that will enable consumers to better understand how genetics affect their skin, and maximize ingredients that support their health.
• Stratify Genomics and Orig3n sign commercial partnership
• 12/17/2019
• Stratify Genomics, a pioneer in genetic cancer risk tests for the general population, announced a commercial partnership with Orig3n, the leader in lifestyle genetic testing.
• U.S. Ski & Snowboard and Orig3n in Multi-Year Partnership
• 1/16/2019
• U.S. Ski & Snowboard and Orig3n, Inc. are excited to announce Orig3n as the Official Genetics Partner of the U.S. Ski & Snowboard Team.
• Orig3n Hires Former Ancestry and Spotify Executive Bahigh Acuna to Lead Their Consumer DNA Business
• 10/9/2018
• Orig3n today announced that Bahigh Acuna is joining the company as general manager of Orig3n's direct-to-consumer DNA testing business. Acuna is a business strategy leader who brings significant experience scaling corporate businesses and start-ups globally.
• Orig3n Announces Collaboration with Researchers at Harvard University
• 10/2/2018
• Orig3n, a Boston-based biotech company, today announced a research collaboration agreement with Harvard University, led by a faculty member from the Harvard Stem Cell Institute (HSCI), to develop cell therapies for the treatment of cardiovascular disease.
• Orig3n and ZhongAn, China's Largest E-Insurer Announce Partnership on Health Tech
• 7/31/2018
• Orig3n, Inc. and ZhongAn Online P&C Insurance Co., Ltd. announced a new partnership to bring health tech solutions to Chinese consumers.
• Exclusive Orig3n Mind & Body DNA Test Offered on Amazon Prime Day
• 7/16/2018
• Genetic Results Will Give Insight on Mind and Body
• Orig3n Expands Globally with Funding from Haitong International, International Tech Conference Partnerships
• 7/11/2018
• Collaborations will support continued growth of research and development efforts
• Orig3n Introduces New Run™ DNA Test
• 7/5/2018
• Test Offers Insight into Training Style and Nutritional Needs
• Orig3n Announces Osteoarthritis Cartilage Regeneration for First Cell Therapy Program
• 6/8/2018
• Therapies Developed Aim to Regenerate Cartilage for 53 Million Arthritis Sufferers
• Orig3n Partners with Karate Combat to Bring Personalized DNA Testing to the New Professional Full-Contact Karate League
• 4/26/2018
• Orig3n Inc. announces a unique partnership with Karate Combat, a professional combat sports league that is revolutionizing martial arts with its revitalization of karate for the 21st century worldwide.
• Orig3n Acquires Interleukin Genetics, a Genetics-Based Personalized Health Company, to Advance the Future of Health Faster
• 11/27/2017
• The automated genotyping lab is fully-licensed for testing in all 50 U.S. states and is capable of processing over one million samples per year.
• Massachusetts Orig3n's 'DNA Day' at Ravens Game to Undergo Federal and State Scrutiny
• 9/19/2017
• Orig3n Closes Latest Round Of Funding; Welcomes New Board Member And New Investor
• 6/27/2017
• Orig3n Partners With INNOVASALUD To Advance The Future Of Health In Latin America
• 5/16/2017
• Orig3n Unveils DNA Assessments BLISS And BLOOM At CES
• 1/6/2017
• Orig3n Unveils FUEL, New DNA Assessment Test To Identify Your Unique Nutrition Needs With A Simple Cheek Swab
• 10/17/2016 ¹⁶⁾
• page two articles with Orig3n
• The Quest For The Future Of Medicine Continues: Orig3n Extracts DNA And Tests Nearly 450 Exponential Medicine Attendees In Less Than 48 Hours
• 10/13/2016
• Orig3n Partners With San Francisco 49ers To Reward Fans For Contributions To Advancing The Future Of Medicine Through Genetics And Regenerative Medicine Research
• 6/28/2016
• Orig3n And Kangstem Biotech Announce Collaboration To Study Neural Stem Cells
• 6/21/2016
• Orig3n Adds Melissa May As Vice President Of Product Strategy
• 5/19/2016
• Orig3n Opens Regenerative Medicine Laboratory and Expanded Headquarters In Boston's Innovation District
• 4/26/2016
• Orig3n And Sharp Edge Labs Enter Into Drug Discovery Alliance
• 3/25/2016
• Orig3n Announces Nomination For SXSW 'Sci-Fi No Longer' Interactive Innovation Award
• 3/10/2016
• Orig3n Joins The Alliance For Regenerative Medicine
• 2/1/2016
• Orig3n Presents At J.P. Morgan Biotech Showcase And Names New Board Members
• 1/7/2016
• Orig3n Closes $12.5 Million In Funding Lead By Hatteras Venture Partners And Syno Capital
• 12/16/2015
• Orig3n Announces Strategic Collaboration With LabCorp
• 5/19/2015 ¹⁷⁾

Breakthroughs in science have made it possible to discover the genetic traits that set someone apart.

Orig3n brings this technology straight to the consumer, so they can get new insight into mind and body.

Orig3n 2019 Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) Test - EUA 4/2020 Business Areas: Genetic Testing, COVID-19, EUA ¹⁸⁾

Dear Robin Smith This letter is in response to your request that the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) add your test as an authorized test to the March 31, 2020 Emergency Use Authorization (EUA), pursuant to Section 564 of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (the Act) (21 U.S.C. §360bbb-3). ¹⁹⁾

see Jamie Metzl who touts his biotech marketing role as “Chief Strategy Officer” but has erased the corp name Orig3n from official biographies posted at assorted think tanks and Jamie's own site.