Fulgent Genetics and Columbia University Irving Medical Center Partner on Expanded Carrier Screening
January 03 2019 - 8:00AM
Fulgent Genetics (NASDAQ: FLGT) and the Precision Genomics
Laboratory (PGL), in collaboration with the Department of
Obstetrics and Gynecology, at Columbia University Irving Medical
Center (CUIMC) announced today a new partnership to make on site
performed, expanded carrier screening available to Columbia
patients. This unique collaboration will leverage both
parties’ expertise in laboratory management, bioinformatics,
clinical genetics and next-generation sequencing to deliver an
expanded carrier screening test with many advantages over other
currently available tests.
The PGL is jointly operated by the Institute for Genomic
Medicine (IGM) and the Department of Pathology and Cell Biology and
is designed to enhance patient care through genomic diagnostics,
research, and education at CUIMC.
Carrier screening is a genetic test used to identify whether
individuals and carrier couples are at risk for passing genetic
disorders to their children. These genetic disorders may result in
physical disabilities, cognitive impairment, and other severe
health problems in newborn babies. Traditionally, carrier screening
tests targeted couples of certain ethnic groups that have
historically been at higher risk for specific genetic disorders.
This approach has presented difficulties for patients who are
multiracial, adopted, or are unsure of their ethnic backgrounds. To
address this challenge, expanded carrier screening (ECS) was
developed to test for mutations that cause hundreds of different
genetic disorders regardless of a patient’s ethnicity.
Professional medical associations like the American College of
Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) and the American College of
Medical Genetics and Genomics (ACMG) have published guidelines on
ECS and its importance in reproductive care.
“We are extremely excited to partner with such a prestigious
institution in a collective effort to help improve patient care by
offering expanded carrier screening as a routine test to Columbia
patients,” said Brandon Perthuis, Vice President of Commercial
Operations at Fulgent Genetics.
“This collaboration will help us to bring high-quality
reproductive genomic testing to our patients,” said the IGM’s David
Goldstein, “and will enable the Institute for Genomic Medicine and
Fulgent Genetics to leverage our strengths in genomic medicine and
clinical genetics to co-develop a range of new tests in the
future.”
“The Fulgent partnership is another exciting step in the
evolution of precision medicine clinical testing at CUIMC and the
PGL. The Department of Pathology and Cell Biology, in partnership
with Fulgent, the IGM, and the Department of Obstetrics and
Gynecology, looks forward to providing reproductive genomic testing
to CUIMC patients,” said Dr. Kevin Roth, Chair, Department of
Pathology and Cell Biology.
“We are thrilled to partner with Fulgent Genetics to bring
reproductive genomic testing to our patients,” said Dr. Mary
D’Alton, Chair of the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at
CUIMC. “Prenatal diagnosis has significantly enhanced our ability
to counsel patients at risk for genetic disease in advance of
delivery, but carrier screening will transform our field even
further. Patients who are eager to conceive are increasingly
seeking genetic information to help them make informed decisions as
they build their families, and our partnership with Fulgent will
make this possible for many more women and couples.” Dr. Ronald
Wapner, Director of Reproductive Genetics in the Department of
Ob/Gyn and the IGM added “this service will allow us to continue to
lead the provision of personalized medicine care in women’s
health.”
About Fulgent Genetics
Fulgent Genetics is a technology company with a focus on
offering comprehensive genetic testing to provide physicians with
clinically actionable diagnostic information they can use to
improve the quality of patient care. The company has developed a
proprietary technology platform that allows it to offer a broad and
flexible test menu and continually expand and improve its
proprietary genetic reference library, while maintaining accessible
pricing, high accuracy and competitive turnaround times. The
company believes its test menu, which currently offers more genes
for testing than its competitors in today’s market, enables it to
provide expansive options for test customization and clinically
actionable results.
Investor Relations Contacts:
The Blueshirt Group
Nicole Borsje, 415-217-2633, nborsje@blueshirtgroup.com
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