Positive Bioscience, India's leading genomics company offering personal genomics and cancer genomics products, plans to launch more than 200 personalised genetic testing facilities across the country over a span of three years. The objective is to help identify people at risk of chronic diseases, assist them in making necessary lifestyle changes and to help live healthy and productive lives.
The company, started by Samarth Jain in October 2012, has already opened three personal genomics clinics at Medanta - The Medicity in Gurgaon, Breach Candy Hospital, Kokilaben Dhirubhai Ambani Hospital & Medical Research Institute in Mumbai.
Equipped with 15 data scientists, genetics specialists, Positive Bioscience offers interpretational analysis of DNA based diagnostic tests for cancer patients and healthy individuals. This analysis help clinicians personalise the clinical management of cancer and other health conditions. So far the company has provided personal genomics test to 800 people across the country and cancer genomics test to 500 patients, Jain who is also chief executive officer of Positive Bioscience said.
Throwing light on the company's expansion plan, he said “Started in India in 2011, genetic testing is gaining ground in the country with rise in number of healthy people and cancer patients going for it. At present less than one per cent of genetic testing market is being exploited in India. There is tremendous growth opportunity for genomic test in the country. Taking this into account, we embarked on expansion plan to provide world-class molecular genetic tests in cancer genomics which are targeted for guiding treatment in cancer patients and personal genomics tests which are targeted to healthy individuals for predicting disease risk and preventing it. We are planning to start genomics test facility at more than 200 hospitals over the next three years and are working out various fund raising models to generate at least Rs. 100 crore to spur our expansion plan.”
The company is the first to commercialise whole genome sequencing for personal genomics and circulating tumour DNA test in cancer genomics. It also has become the first molecular diagnostics company in the country to launch next generation product, PositiveSelect, a RNA sequencing test for cancer treatment. PositiveSelect detects genomic alterations in all 25,000 genes and recommends treatment options with best probability of response as compared to recommendations based on testing of 4-5 genes conventional testing, he opined.
Positive Bioscience is also an exclusive partner of Myriad Genetics USA, world’s leading molecular diagnostics company well known for inventing BRCA gene testing. All the tests are carried out in NABL/CAP/CLIA accredited laboratories in India, USA, China or Korea, he added.
Reports of personal genomics test and cancer genomics test are delivered to people within 30 days and 21 days respectively, he informed.
When asked about the expensive genomics test, he said “Currently, the volume of such tests in the country is lesser than USA, Europe making it expensive. Due to less volume, there is dearth of infrastructure in the country to carry out complicated genomics test. We have to send blood sample of complicated genomics test abroad for precise diagnosis and data interpretation. Once volume of genomics test is increased in India, it will help build state of the art infrastructure facility for complex genomic test in the country leading to decline in its cost.”