Mars Petcare has partnered with MediSapiens Ltd., a leading developer and provider of genomic, biomedical and health data solutions, to foster new developments in precision health care for companion animals.

The partnership follows Mars Petcare's acquisition of Genoscoper Laboratories, a longtime partner of MediSapiens. MediSapiens was also a shareholder of Genoscoper.

For several years, MediSapiens has developed and maintained a comprehensive and integrated sample management, bioinformatics data analysis and a result reporting system for MyDogDNA, the world's leading dog genetic testing service that provides pet owners, breeders and veterinarians with valuable information on genetic traits and diseases.

These developments -- aimed at accelerating discovery of genetic health markers and promoting better health for companion animals -- will be continued under the new partnership, the announcement said.

"Our dedication is to human and animal health, and this partnership is a major step forward for us," MediSapiens chief commercial officer Marko Kuisma said. "We see tremendous opportunities in bringing the latest technologies for precision health care and discovery to Mars Petcare. Their dedication to targeted, preventative and individualized care is admirable, as well as their reach within the animal health community."

MediSapiens is a bioinformatics company specializing in pharmaceutical research and translational genomics, providing life science and biomedical companies and research organizations with tools that help them manage and interpret large genomic, biomedical and clinical data sets. Established in 2009 and based in Helsinki, Finland, and Cambridge, Mass., MediSapiens creates intuitive software platforms to manage, integrate and visualize complex multidimensional data sets such as genomic sequencing data.

Mars Petcare is the world's leading pet nutrition and health care business, with a total of 41 brands in its portfolio.