Navigenics'(TM) Genome Analysis Used In Research Trial On The Impact Of Providing Genetic Risk Assessments

Main Category: Genetics
Article Date: 09 Apr 2008 - 0:00 PDT

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Navigenics, a genetic health services company, announced a new study of genetic predisposition analysis. The Mayo Clinic study will examine how patients understand and use information provided by a Navigenics genetic risk assessment. The research also addresses physicians' understanding of genetic assessments and the impact of such information on preventive health decision making. Titled "A Proof of Principle Trial of Communication to Patients Receiving Predictive Genetic Risk Assessment," the study begins this month and runs through September 2009. The study is funded jointly by Navigenics and Mayo Clinic.

"In this emerging field it is absolutely critical that the entire industry remain rooted in high-quality science and research - this is exactly what we do and what our customers, collaborators and advisors expect from Navigenics," said Mari Baker, president and CEO of Navigenics. "We believe this research collaboration with a leading medical institution like Mayo Clinic will help the entire industry evolve responsibly, provide the necessary tools to educate clinicians, and ultimately improve people's lives."

The Navigenics(TM) Health Compass is a new genetic risk assessment service that combines an advanced genome scan with the latest discoveries in genetic medicine and personalized genetic counseling. It gives individuals information on their genetic predisposition to developing a broad menu of common conditions, so that, with their physicians, they can seek earlier diagnosis, delay the onset or prevent the conditions altogether. The service calculates genetic predisposition based on genome-wide association studies that combine a variety of epidemiological variables. Navigenics scours the more than 4,000 published studies correlating genes to medical conditions and other common human traits to include only those which present high-quality and reliable results. The Navigenics Health Compass is the only personal genetic risk assessment to provide on-staff Certified Genetic Counselors to help people understand their individual results.

"The science that links genes with many common inherited diseases is well- established and growing," said Navigenics co-founder and clinical advisory board chair David Agus, M.D. "Now we need to better understand how individuals use this information. Navigenics hopes to learn more about patients' hopes and expectations regarding genetic risk assessment. Our goal is to leverage the wealth of information that genetics can provide to better motivate patients to take action that will improve their health. Our research collaboration with the Mayo Clinic helps us get there."

About Navigenics

Navigenics, Inc. is a privately held company based in Redwood Shores, Calif. The company was founded by David Agus, M.D. and Dietrich Stephan, Ph.D., with the goal of improving health outcomes in individuals across the population. Navigenics educates and empowers customers with knowledge of their genetic predispositions, and then motivates them to act on the information to prevent the onset of disease, achieve earlier diagnosis, appropriately manage disease, or otherwise lessen its impact. Navigenics' lead investors are Kleiner Perkins Caufield and Byers, Sequoia Capital and MDV-Mohr Davidow Ventures. More information is available at http://www.navigenics.com.

Navigenics, Inc.
http://www.navigenics.com