US-based diagnostic firm Courtagen Life Sciences has introduced 17 new gene tests for neurology and endocrinology, expanding its current line of Spotlight tests.
The firm’s Spotlight panels, which contain approximately three to 50 genes each, are developed for genetic testing when a patient’s symptomology can be identified.
The selection of the genes depends on their ability to make test selection clear, by addressing a group of disorders with overlapping symptoms.
Courtagen Life Sciences chief executive officer Brian McKernan said: “This marks the first step in the expansion of our Spotlight tests, an important area of focus for Courtagen this year.
“In addition to new neurology tests, we are also moving into adjacent disease areas to address the overlapping symptoms we see in our patient population.”
The new tests are designed for pain-related panels such as migraine, neuropathic pain, and abdominal pain, as well as endocrinology-related panels such as hyper / hypoglycemia (MODY+), hyperparathyroidism, and pituitary hormone deficiency.
The tests further include neurology panels for the genetic testing of neuromuscular disorders such as periodic paralysis, dystonia, and rhabdomyolysis.
The line of Spotlight tests include panels for epilepsy, development delay, mitochondria, endocrinology and neurology panels, as well as for diseases such as hemochromatosis, porphyria, Ehlers-Danlos syndrome, periodic fevers, osteogenesis imperfecta, and abdominal pain.
Courtagen everages the DNA sequencing, bioinformatics, and clinical interpretation to establish the linkages between the genotypes and phenotypes of different neurological diseases.
