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The study of human DNA, to develop targeted drugs in addition to understanding the human body, is luring companies to launch DNA-based tests in the sub-continent, home to one-third of the world’s population.
Genomics company Xcode has launched a South Asian Ancestry Genetic Test which will trace one’s ancestry in the global and south Asian sub-population.
The test will reveal information about oneself comparing the DNA samples of each individual with more than 35 ethnic groups in India, Pakistan, Nepal, Bangladesh and other regional countries to provide a detailed ancestry break-up, company officials said.
“Genetic technology makes it possible to uncover the gene make-up that causes people to be allergic to things, gluten, lactose intolerance and the likes,” said Abdur Rub, co-founder and chief technology life sciences. DNA is matched with more than 35 ethnic groups in India, he added.
One of the main advantages of using genetic tests has to do with understanding disease and health-related issues, which then can be funnelled back for better drug discoveries. The sequence of the human DNA or genome has been extensively studied over the past two decades to understand different aspects of the disease and health, from pre-birth to those that develop later in life.
Earlier this year, European company LifeCodexx AG, partnered with India’s LifeCell a provider of mother and baby preventive health care provider, to bring pre-natal DNA testing in India.
“It can lead to path-breaking medical discoveries and pave the way forward to research based on our DNA patterns,” said Analabha Basu, Associate Professor, National Institute of Biomedical Genomics.
Grow databaseXcode plans to grow its database to 1 million customers by 2020. Xcode will also help individuals to trace their paternal ancestry by evaluating DNA which will decode ancient migratory patterns of their forefathers.
“Every cell in our body contains DNA which can reveal everything from our family history to our ancestral migratory patterns and with Xcode’s DNA ancestry test, you now have the chance to unravel this history,” said Rub. Genetic tests help, for example, in identifying disorders like Rett Syndrome, which is caused due to any faulty DNA combination at the time of a child’s development before its birth. Also, genome-based profiling has shown promise in risk prediction for Huntington’s disease and certain metabolic diseases wherein the body is unable to break down certain types of dietary compounds.
While Xcode has made efforts to gather data on this, companies like MedGenome have already started using this data and a combination of algorithms powered by sequencing computers to develop cancer vaccines. Toronto Recombinant Antibody Centre (TRAC) from the University of Toronto, earlier this year, agreed to licence MedGenome’s patented cancer immunotherapy solution to bring novel anti-body drugs to India.
“Cancer cases are genetic or due to inherited DNA,” said Sam Santhosh, Founder, MedGenome. Currently, MedGenome has 80 per cent marketshare in the Indian next generation sequencing (NGS) space.
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