#Japan #Tokyo #Retrieva #GGGenome #D3G

Retrieva Launches GGGenome Package 2026

Retrieva, a company headquartered in Toshima-ku, Tokyo, led by CEO Takuya Taguchi, has announced the launch of the 2026 version of its rapid nucleotide sequence search system, the GGGenome Package. This newest edition is tailored for nucleic acid drugs—new modality medications utilizing RNA and DNA. Notable improvements in the 2026 edition include compatibility with RefSeq release 230 and D3G 26.03, enhanced speed for large-scale searches, and improved search options for exon/intron specifications, which directly contributes to streamlining off-target evaluations in drug discovery research.

Importance in Nucleic Acid Drug Research

In recent years, research and development of nucleic acid medicines, including siRNA and ASO, have burgeoned, underscoring the need for precise off-target effect assessments and safety evaluations with up-to-date databases.

The GGGenome system offers rapid and comprehensive searches for short nucleotide sequences, thus significantly aiding researchers in off-target evaluations, drug candidate searches, and efficiency in large-scale sequence design.

Available as an offline product, the GGGenome Package is designed for use by pharmaceutical companies, biotech firms, CROs, and academia. Among its features are updates for the latest databases, accelerated search processes, a memory-resident search target database, and enhanced bulk search capabilities—all aimed at expediting workflows in nucleic acid drug design.

The Challenges of Off-Target Evaluation

Nucleic acid drugs typically target short sequences of around 20 nucleotides in length, which can result in search omissions when using traditional universal nucleotide sequence search tools, particularly with mismatches or insertions/deletions. The GGGenome system has adopted specialized algorithms focused on rapid searches for short sequences, ensuring thorough and efficient searches even with mismatches and gaps.

The system's online version is offered by the National Institute of Genetics' Database Center for Life Science (DBCLS) at gggenome.dbcls.jp.

Additionally, the GGGenome package integrates databases containing data on pre-mRNA (RNA prior to splicing), facilitating target searches that include intronic regions. This integration has also shown utility in safety evaluations during PMDA applications for nucleic acid drugs.

Main Features of the GGGenome Package

• - Offline Usage: The GGGenome Package is installed on a portable SSD, eliminating the need for internet connectivity. This setup allows for secure searches and analyses of confidential data without external transmissions.

• - Relaxed Search Restrictions: The new version significantly reduces limits on search counts and durations compared to the online version. For example, users can now retrieve up to 10 million results and handle internal hits of up to 1 billion within 24 hours before timing out.

• - Highlighted genes: Users can highlight specific genes in their search results, making it easier to filter and export data, allowing for efficient extraction of high-risk off-target candidates from large result sets.

• - Bioret Tool for Bulk Searches: This tool supports simultaneous searches across multiple queries and databases while managing execution logs and summary outputs. It aids early risk screening and accelerates design for candidate sequences.

• - Original Search UI (Beta): The new search interface enables the extraction of metadata on transcripts, allowing tailored searches based on CDS or intronic regions, thereby enhancing evaluation efficiency.

2026 Version Updates

Database Compatibility: In drug discovery and regulatory applications for nucleic acids, newer databases for off-target evaluations are crucial. The 2026 edition has been updated for RefSeq release 230 and D3G 26.03, accommodating nine key species critical for drug discovery—humans, mice, rats, rabbits, macaques, Japanese macaques, marmosets, dogs, and pigs.

Search Performance Enhancements: The 2026 version introduces new functionalities such as setting limits on search results and keeping search target databases in memory, which improves search processing efficiency and enhances user experience.

Collaboration with ORIGENICS

The GGGenome system also collaborates with the integrated platform ORIGENICS, which streamlines the design and evaluation processes for siRNA, ASO, and CRISPR-Cas gRNA.

By integrating both external databases like ClinVar and internal GGGenome data, the system supports concurrent design and safety assessments, ultimately minimizing rework in drug discovery processes.

Future Prospects

Retrieva remains committed to advancing the design of nucleic acid drugs and off-target analyses, with a clear goal of accelerating drug discovery while enhancing safety evaluations.

About Retrieva

Retrieva aims to empower individuals through AI technology, providing corporate AI solutions utilizing LLMs and generative AI. By focusing on practical applications of natural language processing, the company fosters productive partnerships. For more information, please visit their corporate site: retrieva.jp.

For inquiries regarding this article, please contact Retrieva’s PR representative, Mr. Orihara, at [email protected].

INFORMATION: Retrieva is seeking new team members. Please check our recruitment site for opportunities: retrieva.jp/recruit.