NHS implementation of Lipid inCode®
26 July 2022
Lipid inCode® becomes the first commercial polygenic test for
CVD to be implemented by the NHS
Oxford, UK. GENinCode Plc (AIM: GENI), the predictive genetics company focused on
the prevention of cardiovascular disease, announces the expansion of its
collaboration with the Academic Health Science Network for the North East and
North Cumbria (“AHSN NENC”) to implement the use of its Lipid inCode® test in
the AHSN NENC Primary Care Network (PCN) for the diagnosis of
hypercholesterolemia (high levels of cholesterol) and familial
hypercholesterolemia (“FH”). This marks the introduction of GENinCode's first UK
polygenic product aimed at improving the diagnosis and treatment of
hypercholesterolemia and preventing the onset of cardiovascular disease
(“CVD”).
There are 15 Academic Health Science Networks (“AHSN”) across England,
established by NHS England in 2013 to spread innovation at pace and scale -
improving health and generating economic growth. Each AHSN works across a
distinct geography serving a different population in each region. The AHSN NENC
leads a national
AHSN programme aimed at identification of FH and lipid management, in
collaboration with the Accelerated Access Collaborative (AAC) and the National
Institute for Health & Care Excellence (NICE).
The NHS implementation of Lipid inCode® marks the introduction of GENinCode's
first UK genetic product aimed at improving the diagnosis and treatment of
familial hypercholesterolemia and preventing the onset of cardiovascular disease
(“CVD”). Lipid inCode® is the first commercial polygenic test for CVD to be
implemented by the NHS.
Following the positive results of its Lipid inCode®
NHS clinical study1 and recent successful completion of the Lipid
inCode® AHSN NENC pilot, the AHSN NENC will now implement the use of Lipid
inCode® in the Darlington PCN and community practice representing over 100,000
patients in the North of England. Within this population, Lipid inCode will
detect and diagnose people with high cholesterol, a known important risk factor
for the development of CVD. Improved detection supports better treatment and
preventative care. Lipid inCode® offers genetic testing for the causes of high
cholesterol, with rapid results and comprehensive reporting for clinicians.
Lipid inCode® will be offered at a reduced cost to the NHS, to help support the
ambition it declared in its Long Term Plan to detect 25% of people with FH by
2024.
In the UK around 7.6m people live with heart and circulatory disease, which
causes 25% of all deaths annually in the UK. CVD can be reduced by identifying
and treating individuals at risk, and the NHS 10 Year Plan (2019) sets out
significant ambitions to address the CVD prevention, including identifying
individuals with hypercholesterolemia and particularly those with FH.
FH is an inherited monogenic condition which affects an individual's ability to
regulate and remove cholesterol from their blood. FH affects approximately one
in 250 people in the UK population and globally. The NHS Long Term Plan sets out
to expand access to genetic testing for FH, which causes early heart attacks and
sudden cardiac death. Individuals suffering with FH have a higher risk of heart
disease and death at a younger age. For individuals suffering with FH it is
important to lower their cholesterol to healthy levels as early in life as
possible, often requiring medicines such as statins or more aggressive treatment
to help better control cholesterol levels.
CVD is a broad disease classification which encompasses conditions such as
coronary artery disease (causing angina, heart attacks, heart failure),
cerebrovascular disease (causing stroke, and some dementia), peripheral vascular
disease (causing limb ischemia, and some chronic kidney disease) and venous
thromboembolism. CVD is the leading cause of death and disability worldwide
accounting for one in every four deaths in the United States. According to the
US National Institutes of Health (NIH), by 2030, the global cost
of CVD is set to rise to US$1,044 billion, from approximately US$863
billion in 2010, and is both a major health issue and global economic burden.
GENinCode has a vision to assist clinicians and inform patients in interpreting
cardiovascular risk, and to improve public health using the predictive
capability of genomics. High genetic risk patients are assisted in making
lifestyle choices and can receive targeted treatment to improve outcomes. Over
the past 15 years GENinCode has made a substantial investment in its research,
bioinformatic data, technology, and product development to assess disease risk,
in order to help clinicians and patients prevent the onset of CVD.
Matthew Walls, CEO of GENinCode PLC said: “The collaboration with the
AHSN NENC continues to advance our Lipid inCode test to identify patients at
high risk of heart disease and stroke representing the largest cause of
death in the UK. The implementation of Lipid inCode marks the beginning of
our NHS diagnostic testing for hypercholesterolemia and familial
hypercholesterolemia sufferers and we look forward to supporting the NHS in
reaching its long term plan to diagnose patients with
hypercholesterolemia.”
Professor Julia Newton, Medical Director at AHSN NENC commented: “We are delighted to now move into the implementation phase for Lipid inCode® to advance the diagnosis and treatment of hypercholesterolemia and familial hypercholesterolemia. With the added benefit of easy sample collection, improved test turnaround times at a reduced costs to the NHS, we can start to deliver the Lipid inCode test in our primary care practice and welcome this approach to help support and deliver the NHS 10-Year plan to reduce the onset of cardiovascular disease.”
For more information visit www.genincode.com
Enquiries:
GENinCode Plc | www.genincode.com or via Walbrook PR | ||
Matthew Walls, CEO | |||
Paul Foulger, CFO |
|||
Stifel Nicolaus Europe Limited (Nomad and Joint Broker) | Tel: +44 (0)20 7710 7600 | ||
Alex Price / Ben Maddison / Richard Short | |||
Cenkos Securities Plc (Joint Broker) |
Tel: +44 (0)20 7397 8900 |
||
Giles Balleny | |||
Dale Bellis / Michael Johnson (Sales) | |||
Walbrook PR Limited Anna Dunphy / Paul McManus / Louis Ashe-Jepson |
Tel: 020 7933 8780 or genincode@walbrookpr.com |
About GENinCode:
GENinCode Plc is a UK based company specialising in genetic risk assessment of
cardiovascular disease. Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death and
disability worldwide.
GENinCode operates business units in the UK, Europe through GENinCode S.L.U, and
in the United States through GENinCode U.S. Inc.
GENinCode predictive technology provides patients and physicians with globally
leading preventative care and treatment strategies. GENinCode CE marked
invitro-diagnostic molecular tests combine clinical algorithms and
bioinformatics to provide advanced patient risk assessment to predict disease
onset.
About Academic Health Science Network for the North East and North Cumbria (AHSN NENC):
The AHSN NENC is focused on building and maintaining strong relationships and partnerships which is fundamental to its success. Member organisations and stakeholders include NHS, academia and industry partners in the North East and North Cumbria.
By developing and maintaining strong relationships with members and
practitioners, the Network continually shares knowledge and translates ideas
into practice. The Network benefits from harnessing the expertise and experience
of clinical staff, for example, to act as change agents to adopt and diffuse new
practice across organisations and support the research community to develop
knowledge.
To deliver against what is a broad remit, the Network works in close collaboration with The AHSN Network across the UK as well as with other national organisations, such as NIHR Clinical Research Network. Other partnerships are developed where appropriate, for example, with the third sector and with industry.
About Cardiovascular Disease (CVD):
Heart and circulatory disease, also known as cardiovascular disease, causes a quarter of all deaths in the UK and is the largest cause of premature mortality in deprived areas and is the single biggest area where the NHS can save lives over the next 10 years. CVD is largely preventable, through lifestyle changes and a combination of public health and NHS action on smoking and tobacco addiction, obesity, tackling alcohol misuse and food reformulation.
Early detection and treatment of CVD can help patients live longer, healthier
lives. Many people are still living with undetected, high-risk conditions such
as high blood pressure, raised cholesterol, and atrial fibrillation (AF).
Progress continues in the NHS to identify and diagnose people routinely knowing
their ‘ABC' (AF, Blood pressure and Cholesterol).