Yourgene Health (part of the Novacyt group of companies), a leading international molecular diagnostics group, has installed the first non-invasive prenatal testing (NIPT) workflow in Colombia at Genetix, a high-tech medical organisation specialised in human genetic diagnosis.
Genetix introduced its NipTest at a launch event held in Bogotá, Colombia yesterday evening to raise awareness of this new local NIPT provision to clinicians in the region. The service will utilise Yourgene’s IONA Nx NIPT Workflow to deliver fast, accurate NIPT results for expectant parents in Colombia, helping to reduce turnaround times and shipping problems.
Utilising Yourgene’s IONA Nx NIPT Workflow offers Genetix a complete CE-marked in vitro diagnostic (IVD) device to establish its own quality-assured prenatal screening service in-house. The IONA test has been validated on a highly flexible and scalable workflow, suitable for low- to high-volume sample throughput, enabling the growing clinical laboratory to meet rising demands.
The NIPT is performed using cell-free placental DNA from maternal blood to screen for aneuploidies: trisomy 21 (Down’s syndrome), trisomy 18 (Edwards’ syndrome) or trisomy 13 (Patau’s syndrome), and can also be used to determine the sex of the fetus. The analysis is performed using next-generation sequencing technology, with test results available in three days.
Previously, blood samples collected in Colombia were sent to the USA for testing, delaying turnaround times and increasing costs with additional shipping expenses. By offering access to its NipTest locally, Genetix will help to ensure expectant parents receive reliable results quickly, while reducing the need for invasive tests and the associated stress and anxiety.
