Genetic Technologies Provides Update on COVID-19 Risk Test
October 01 2020 - 8:00AM
Molecular diagnostics company Genetic Technologies Ltd (ASX: GTG;
NASDAQ: GENE, “Company”), provides the following update to the
market on the development of the Company’s COVID-19 Risk Test.
Key highlights
- New findings submitted to peer-reviewed journal
and medRxiv on GTG’s predictive model outlined in the
technical paper, ‘An integrated clinical and genetic model for
predicting risk of severe COVID-19’
- Findings include:° Model accuracy predictions of severe
COVID-19 with a 111% better discrimination of the disease severity
than age and gender alone ° Leveraged over 1,500 UK Biobank
participants aged over 50 with clinically confirmed COVID-19
- Submission of amended patent to incorporate additional findings
on genetic risk stratification
Genetic Technologies has outlined additional findings in
relation to its COVID-19 Risk Test. The COVID-19 Risk Test model
incorporating the single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) score and
clinical risk factors was applied to the UK Biobank data consisting
of data on over 1,500 individuals over the age of 50 with
clinically confirmed COVID-19. The findings from the model included
a 111% better discrimination of the disease severity than age and
gender alone. These results further highlight that continuing to
rely on age and gender to determine risk of severe COVID-19 may
unnecessarily classify healthy older people as being at high risk
and will fail to accurately quantify the increased risk for younger
people with comorbidities.
Further details on the performance characteristics of the test
and description of the underlying research are outlined in the
technical paper submitted to the preprint server for Health
Sciences, medRxiv and have also been submitted for peer-review.
Available here:
https://www.medrxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.09.30.20204453v1.full.pdf
Richard Allman, Genetic Technologies’ Chief Scientific Officer
said: “As we move to reopen our economy across Australia it is
critical that we are able to undertake this process as safely as
possible. The ability to assess the risk in the general population
to develop a severe case of COVID-19 by genetic risk factors in
contrast to age alone would have the potential to enable the
economy to return to normal more rapidly by empowering individuals
to make informed decisions on their risk profile.”
GTG’s risk prediction test for severe COVID-19 in people aged 50
years or older has great potential for wide-reaching benefits in
managing the risk for essential workers, in healthcare settings and
in workplaces that seek to re-open safely. The test will also
enable individuals to make informed choices based on their personal
risk. However, key to understanding the performance of our risk
prediction test will be validation in independent data sets, work
that GTG intend to undertake in the near term.
Patent UpdateGTG has submitted an update to the
previously filed provisional patent for its COVID-19 Risk Severity
Test with IP Australia (2020901739 – Methods of assessing risk
developing a severe response to Coronavirus infection) as submitted
on 27 May 2020. The amendments were filed on 30 September 2020 and
incorporated GTG’s latest findings as outlined in the technical
paper.
The provisional patent covers the specific SNP algorithm
designed by GTG to calculate the Polygenic Risk Severity (PRS) and
the testing model that combines the PRS test and the clinical risk
factors that together constitute the COVID-19 Risk Test.
Background on GTG’s PRS test for
COVID-19Genetic Technologies is developing a PRS test for
COVID-19, which may enable the risk assessment of an individual
developing a serious disease should they contract the COVID-19
virus. The test is intended to predict ‘disease severity’ using a
combination of genetic and clinical information.
The test is intended to provide risk stratification information
which may help personal and population management in two ways:
- Guiding quarantine measures on a personal, local, and national
scale
- Prioritising vaccination if and when a vaccine becomes
available
Further updates will be provided to the market as the Company
progresses product validation.
Released on behalf of the Board of Directors Genetic
Technologies Limited.
Investor Relations (AUS) |
Investor Relations and Media (US) |
Stephanie Ottens |
Mr Dave Gentry RedChip Office: |
Market Eye |
1 800 RED CHIP (733 2447) |
M: +61 434 405 400 |
Cell: 407 491 4498 |
E: stephanie.ottens@marketeye.com.au |
E: dave@redchip.com |
About Genetic Technologies Limited Genetic Technologies Limited
(ASX: GTG; Nasdaq: GENE) is a diversified molecular diagnostics
company. GTG offers cancer predictive testing and assessment tools
to help physicians proactively manage patient health. The Company’s
lead products GeneType for Breast Cancer for non-hereditary breast
cancer and GeneType for Colorectal Cancer are clinically validated
risk assessment tests and are first in class. Genetic Technologies
is developing a pipeline of risk assessment products.
For more information, please visit www.gtglabs.com
Genetic Technologies (NASDAQ:GENE)
Historical Stock Chart
From Mar 2024 to Apr 2024
Genetic Technologies (NASDAQ:GENE)
Historical Stock Chart
From Apr 2023 to Apr 2024