From Battlestar Galactica's Ronald D. Moore, Helix revolves around a team of scientists from the Centers for Disease Control who travel to a high-tech research facility in the Arctic to investigate a possible disease outbreak, but find themselves in the center of a dangerous life-and-death struggle that could key to humanity’s salvation or annihilation.

Syfy is going back to the Arctic with Helix. The NBCUniversal-owned cable network has renewed the killer virus drama for a second season.

The drama, which premiered Jan. 10 at 10 p.m., centers on Centers for Disease Control pathologist Dr. Alan Farragut (The Killing's Billy Campbell) and his estranged ex-wife, Dr. Julia Walker (Kyra Zagorsky), when they're sent to the Arctic to investigate a mysterious disease outbreak. Season two will return in the winter (first-quarter) 2015 with 13 episodes.

STORY: 'Helix' Boss Says Syfy Drama Isn't 'The Walking Dead': 'It's an Outbreak Show'

The series, from Battlestar Galactica's Ron Moore and Lost's Steven Maeda, the latter of whom serves as showrunner, opened to 1.8 million viewers in January, growing 65 percent in live-plus-3 DVR returns to 2.8 million and shattering network ratings in total viewers, adults 18-49 and adults 25-54. When factoring in seven-day delayed viewing, Helix set network records and grew 82 percent among adults 18-49, 74 percent among adults 25-54 and 64 percent in total viewers -- the largest increases ever for a Syfy scripted series in live-plus-7 returns.

Helix has averaged 2.1 million total viewers, 1.1 million adults 25-54 and 1 million adults 18-49.

Helix is part of a growing Syfy scripted slate that includes the supersized fifth season of Haven, Continuum, Defiance and the upcoming Dominion. Warehouse 13 will wrap its run following its upcoming fifth season.

Email: Lesley.Goldberg@THR.com

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