Artemis Health Licenses Prenatal Cell-Free DNA Analysis Technology From Stanford

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Artemis Health Licenses Prenatal Cell-Free DNA Analysis Technology

From Stanford University

http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/136881.php

Artemis Health Inc., a privately-held company dedicated to the

development of non-invasive prenatal diagnostic tests, announced that

it has acquired a co-exclusive worldwide license from Stanford

University to develop cell-free fetal DNA prenatal diagnostic tests

based on pioneering research from the lab of Quake, Ph.D., co-

chair of the department of bioengineering and Medical

Institute investigator. The license expands Artemis' clinical and

research program and will allow the company to develop a non-invasive

prenatal blood test that accurately predicts chromosomal and genetic

disorders.

" We are thrilled to expand our proprietary prenatal diagnostic

platform focused on intact fetal cells to include Dr. Quake's

pioneering cell-free fetal DNA analysis, " said Lissa Goldenstein,

president and chief executive officer of Artemis Health. " We now have

two complementary approaches that provide access to vital information

found only in fetal DNA, which circulates in the maternal

bloodstream. We believe that working in parallel, we will be able to

develop non-invasive, safe and effective prenatal blood tests that

accurately diagnose genetic disorders without the need for invasive

tests like amniocentesis and chorionic villus sampling. "

This license broadens the research and development programs at

Artemis, which have been based primarily on the pioneering work of

Dr. Bianchi for the isolation of intact fetal cells from

maternal blood for advanced genetic analysis. Under the terms of the

agreement, Artemis received a co-exclusive worldwide license to a

suite of intellectual property based on Dr. Quake's groundbreaking

cell-free fetal DNA analysis research in the field of prenatal

diagnostics which was featured in the October issue of The

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. The intellectual

property license includes the use of digital polymerase chain

reaction (PCR) technology and shotgun sequencing to analyze cell-free

fetal DNA from maternal blood, particularly for the diagnosis of

fetal genetic disorders such as Down's syndrome, syndrome

(trisomy 18) and Patau syndrome (trisomy 13). In parallel with this

agreement, Artemis has extended its existing exclusive consulting

relationship with Dr. Quake.

" The addition of cell-free fetal DNA analysis complements the

comprehensive cell-based program at Artemis Health and will

accelerate clinical progress, ultimately bringing the benefits of

single gene, single chromosome, and whole genome testing to all

pregnant women, independent of their prior risk, " stated Dr. Bianchi,

an Artemis clinical advisory board member and the V. Zucker

professor of pediatrics, obstetrics and gynecology at Tufts

University School of Medicine.

The Artemis Advantage for Prenatal Testing

Prenatal testing is an important tool for most pregnancies in the

United States and the rest of the developed world. While the results

of these tests provide timely information about the well-being of the

fetus, it is broadly agreed that a safer prenatal diagnostic test

offered early would allow women and their families to make more

informed decisions about their pregnancy and better prepare for

potential problems in their infants.

Artemis Health is developing non-invasive, genome-based prenatal

tests for use in early pregnancy to diagnose genetic abnormalities

and chromosomal aneuploidies (abnormal number of chromosomes).

Through a single maternal blood draw early in pregnancy, Artemis'

diagnostic tests will isolate intact fetal cells and cell-free fetal

DNA to provide valuable and accurate genetic information without risk

to the mother or her baby.

About Artemis Health Inc.

Artemis Health Inc. is a privately-held, diagnostics company focused

on the development of non-invasive early-pregnancy prenatal tests for

use in all pregnant women. Working in collaboration with leading

research and clinical institutions, the company has developed cutting-

edge technology to transform the field of prenatal testing through

the analysis of both whole-cell and cell-free fetal DNA isolated from

maternal blood. With a single, maternal blood draw early in

pregnancy, Artemis' diagnostic tests will provide women with an

accurate alternative to the invasive methods of amniocentesis and

chorionic villus sampling available. For more information about

Artemis Health, please visit http://www.artemishealthinc.com.

Artemis Health Inc.

http://www.artemishealthinc.com