Strand Life Sciences develops prenatal genomic diagnostics portfolio
Apr 23, 2024
Bengaluru (Karnataka) [India], April 23 : Strand Life Sciences, a subsidiary of Reliance Industries Ltd, and a leading global provider of genomic and bioinformatic solutions, announced its prenatal screening and diagnostics portfolio with two breakthrough technologies--CNSeq (for identification of aneuploidies and copy number variations) and MaatriSeq (Non-Invasive Prenatal Screening).
According to an official release, these innovations are tailored to the specific needs of the Indian community.
CNSeq brings the latest Next Generation Sequencing technology to an important prenatal test marking a significant leap forward in prenatal diagnostics. Leveraging proprietary software, CNSeq delivers unmatched precision in identifying Copy Number Variations (CNVs), outperforming traditional cytogenetic and molecular techniques.
MaatriSeq is the first Non-Invasive Prenatal Screening (NIPS) solution to be validated on the latest high throughput IlluminaR NovaSeqTM X Plus sequencing platform to deliver a highly accurate and cost-effective solution making it accessible to a wider community in India.
MaatriSeq exhibits exceptional sensitivity and specificity in identifying fetal chromosomal abnormalities, surpassing other existing techniques.
These advanced tests developed by Strand Life Sciences are based on a genomic analysis pipeline specifically developed and validated on Indian samples and conditions.
"Strand is at the forefront of advanced genomic solutions and continues to redefine standards in genetic diagnostics. With these innovations in advanced genetic technologies, Strand wants to contribute to the efforts by the Indian Government in reducing the burden of rare diseases in India," said Ramesh Hariharan, CEO and Co-founder of Strand Life Sciences.
India has the highest rate of Down Syndrome with 1 in 830 births affected according to the Down Syndrome Federation of India. Prenatal diagnosis can help detect Down Syndrome and other fetal abnormalities.
While routine screening tests remain an option for many expectant parents, they unfortunately have lower detection rates and higher false positives. Sequencing based NIPS has superior accuracy, early detection, and safety advantages, especially for high-risk individuals.
American College of Medical Genetics and Genomics (ACMG) strongly recommends NIPS over traditional screening methods for all pregnant women with singleton and twin gestations for fetal trisomies 21, 18, and 13.
Prof Dr. Narendra Malhotra, Senior Consultant Obstetrician and Gynaecologist and past president of The Federation of Obstetric and Gynecological Societies of India (FOGSI) said, "Advancing prenatal genetic screening in India is crucial. NIPS, with its higher sensitivity in detecting common aneuploidies, offers a more accurate alternative to routine markers and biochemical tests. With Strand Life Sciences introducing MaatriSeq NIPS on a high throughput sequencing platform, we now have a solution that combines superior quality and affordability, thus helping widespread implementation." This service is exclusively available upon prescription from any consultant duly registered with PCPNDT, ensuring compliance with regulatory standards and ethical guidelines.
