iHope Genetic Health Partners with Mendelics to support genomic testing capacity building in LMIC

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critical step toward local in-region capacity building and making genetic testing far more widely available to patients in need.

DAMASCUS, MD, USA, July 15, 2024 /EINPresswire.com/ — iHope Genetic Health, a program of Genetic Alliance that provides free genomic testing for children with undiagnosed disorders, today announced a partnership with Mendelics, the leading provider of genomic testing in South America. This is the first iHope laboratory in a low- and middle-income country (LMIC) – a critical step toward local in-region capacity building and making genetic testing far more widely available to patients in need.

This partnership underscores iHope Genetic Health’s commitment to delivering accessible, cutting-edge genomic testing solutions to regions that may otherwise go unserved. With this collaboration, iHope brings advanced genetic diagnostics geographically closer to Latin American communities and global healthcare accessibility.

“Patients with a suspected genetic disease deserve access to genomic testing regardless of where they find themselves in the world. We are thrilled to partner with Mendelics and to bring precision diagnostic testing to patients throughout Latin America,” said Ryan J Taft PhD, Chief Scientific Officer at Genetic Alliance.

Established in 2012, Mendelics was the first and is now the largest Brazilian genetic diagnostic laboratory for patients with rare diseases and cancer that uses next-generation sequencing (NGS). As pioneers and leaders in NGS in Latin America, Mendelics has set the benchmark for genetic testing in the region.

The laboratory is the only Latin American genomic based laboratory to obtain accreditations from the College of American Pathologists (CAP – No. 8671464), the Program for Accreditation of Clinical Laboratories (PALC – # 11778564), and INMETRO in NBR/ISO-15189. Mendelics’ innovative spirit was recognized globally when it was granted the MIT award for innovation with Abracadabra^®, a platform developed in-house to analyze the sequencing results of patient samples. As an iHope partner laboratory, Mendelics is poised to support a minimum of 350 patients per year and introduces buccal swabs as an alternative to blood draws for sample collection. This innovation will reduce the invasiveness and stress for children of the testing process, ease logistical burdens, and simplify sample transportation and export processes.

“The purpose of this collaboration fits perfectly with our mission, which is to make genetic diagnosis quick, accurate, and accessible to all who need it. We are excited to be part of iHope Genetic Health and to contribute with our experience. Patients deserve access to the best service, quality, and care, no matter where they are,” said David Schlesinger, CEO and founder of Mendelics.

About iHope Genetic Health

iHope Genetic Health is dedicated to transforming genetic healthcare by making advanced genetic testing accessible to underserved regions. Our goal is to provide comprehensive and accurate genetic diagnostics that empower patients and healthcare providers with the information they need to make informed decisions about health and treatment.

For more information about our new laboratory and our initiatives, please visit our website at www.ihopegenetichealth.org.

About Genetic Alliance

Genetic Alliance is a nonprofit health advocacy organization dedicated to transforming health through genetics. Founded in 1986, the organization focuses on promoting access to genetic services, fostering innovation, and advocating for policies that support individuals and families impacted by genetic conditions. With a global network of partners, Genetic Alliance works to integrate genetic knowledge into everyday healthcare, ensuring equitable access to genetic testing, research, and personalized medicine. Through programs like iHope Genetic Health, Genetic Alliance is committed to advancing health equity and improving outcomes for all communities, particularly those that are under-resourced. For more information, visit www.geneticalliance.org.

About Mendelics

Mendelics is the first and largest Brazilian laboratory specializing in Next Generation Sequencing (NGS). It was founded in 2012 with a mission to democratize fast and accurate data-driven genetic diagnoses. With the largest laboratory structure for genetic sequencing in Latin America, more than 140,000 genomic samples processed, and a team of over 300 employees, Mendelics has pioneered technical and analytical processes that meet international quality standards, establishing itself as a reference in genetic analysis. The laboratory is the only Latin American genomic laboratory to simultaneously obtain accreditations from CAP (American College of Pathologists – #8671464), INMETRO (NBR/ISO-15189), CLIA (Clinical Laboratory Improvements Amendments – #99D2277038), PALC (Programs of Acceptance for Clinical Laboratories – Brazilian Society of Clinical Pathology – #84262759), and NBR ISO/IEC 27001/2022, making it internationally recognized. Mendelics has also been awarded by MIT for the development of Abracadabra^®, an exclusive platform that uses artificial intelligence to perform genetic analyses more accurately and efficiently. Since its foundation, Mendelics continues to develop innovative healthcare products, such as the Bochechinha Test, a genomic newborn screening test capable of identifying more than 540 treatable early-onset diseases. For more information, visit mendelics.com.

Sharon Terry
Genetic Alliance
+1 202-966-5557
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