Reliance Life Sciences, the pharma and biotechnology arm of the Reliance Group, has joined hands with Thyrocare Technologies Limited (Thyrocare), the world's largest thyroid testing laboratory, to offer DNA technology-based genetic testing services across the country, from February onwards.

Under the arrangement, Thyrocare would offer its extensive and unique network of franchisees, in more than 400 cities reaching out to 50,000 medical consultants and 12,000 laboratories to procure samples and provide air-cargo logistics for the menu of tests offered by Reliance Life Sciences. Reliance Life Sciences will provide testing services and make the reports of the tests available through an integrated web-based reporting system.

These contemporary techniques can be used to diagnose specific numerical and structural chromosomal anomalies like Down's syndrome, Patau syndrome, Edward syndrome, and for rapid detection and quantitative analysis in the area of oncology and ß-thalassemia.

According to Mukesh Ambani, chairman and managing director, Reliance Industries, said, "Reliance Life Sciences brings to this relationship its growing expertise in the cell biology area."

While commenting on the tie-up, Dr. A.Velumani, Managing Director of Thyrocare said "We are excited that Reliance Life Sciences, an organization with strengths, intellectual pool, infrastructure and vision in biotechnology has acknowledged the network and logistical capabilities of Thyrocare. Business apart, we are keen to provide solution to those lakh of pregnant woman who are unaware that there is a possibility that they are carrying genetically abnormal children."

It can be mentioned in this context, Reliance Life Sciences recently created a comprehensive Genetic Centre as part of its Cell Biology group. This center is an adjunct to the embryonic stem cells research facility and the assisted reproduction facility and is involved in providing testing using contemporary techniques such as Karyotyping, Fluorescence In-Situ Hybridisation and Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR). These state-of-the-art tests are used for diagnosis of pre-natal and post-natal genetic mutations and disorders, chromosomal abnormalities and cancer conditions.

Reliance Life Sciences was incorporated in January 2001 and is a new millennium initiative of the Reliance Group. Reliance Life Sciences is developing opportunities in the domains of medical biotechnology, plant biotechnology and industrial biotechnology.

Thyrocare is a ISO 9001-2000 company and processes over 3000 samples for thyroid testing every day in its Centralised Processing Laboratory in Thane, Mumbai. Credit Rating Information Services of India Limited (CRISIL), which is involved in the rating of healthcare institutions, has classified Thyrocare Technologies Limited as a Stand-alone Clinical Diagnostic Laboratory and assigned 'Grade-A' (very good quality of delivered service).