deCODE genetics offers cut-price genetic test for heart risks during February

12 February 2009

deCODE genetics (Nasdaq:DCGN) is offering its deCODEme Cardio Scan, a unique new tool that enables individuals to better understand their inherited risk of heart attack, stroke and atrial fibrillation, intracranial and abdominal aortic aneurysm, and venous thromboembolism, for the special promotional price of $100. The promotion is to mark American Heart Month.

Kari Stefansson, CEO of deCODE, said, "As the people who discovered the highest impact genetic risk factors for heart attack and stroke, this is our way of encouraging people gain more understanding of their cardiovascular risk.

"Because these diseases occur at the interface between genes and the environment, this is empowering information that may help people to take action to effectively reduce the likelihood of developing these diseases."

deCODEme is the world's first retail genome analysis service. The full genome Complete Scan and the Cardio and Cancer scans build on deCODE's global leadership in the discovery of common variations in the sequence of the human genome conferring increased risk of common diseases.

deCODEme scans detect the single-letter genetic variations (called SNPs) with the biggest impact on disease risk. These are SNPs validated in large-scale studies by deCODE as well as leading academic research institutions. DNA analysis is conducted in deCODE's own CLIA-registered laboratory, one of the largest genotyping facilities in the world.

The deCODEme Cardio scan measures 8 SNPs associated with the risk of heart attack, stroke and atrial fibrillation, intracranial and abdominal aortic aneurysm, and venous thromboembolism.

deCODEme Cancer measures 27 SNPs associated with risk of prostate, lung, bladder and colorectal cancers, as well as basal cell carcinoma and the common form of breast cancer. The deCODEme full genome Complete Scan measures well over 1 million SNPs across the entire genome and provides assessment for risk of 34 different diseases and traits, as well as the latest in genetic ancestry analysis.

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