Asper Biotech is a genetic testing company

Autosomal Dominant Retinitis Pigmentosa – AD RP

Retinitis pigmentosa (RP) is an inherited retinal dystrophy caused by the loss of photoreceptors and characterized by retinal pigment deposits visible on fundus examination. Affected individuals first experience night blindness, followed by reduction of the peripheral visual field and, sometimes, loss of central vision late in the course of the disease which eventually leads to blindness after several decades. Signs and symptoms often first appear in childhood, but severe visual problems do not usually develop until early adulthood. In some cases, RP is characterized by cone-rod dystrophy, in which the decrease in visual acuity predominates over loss of the visual field. RP is usually non-syndromic but there are also many syndromic forms. The main risk factor is a family history of retinitis pigmentosa.

The Autosomal Dominant Retinitis Pigmentosa (AD-RP) test enables analysis of 383 mutations in 16 genes: CA4, FSCN2, IMPDH1, NRL, PRPF3, PRPF31, PRPF8, RDS, RHO, ROM1, RP1, RP9, CRX, TOPORS, KLHL7 and PNR.

Genetic testing for Autosomal Dominant Retinitis Pigmentosa is preferred in patients/families with known cases of isolated retinitis pigmentosa in subsequent generations. The test is available both with genotyping service (includes genotyping, electronical copy of the results report) and diagnostic package service (includes DNA extraction, genotyping, additional validation of the APEX-based analysis findings by dideoxy sequencing, interpretation, hard copy of the results report).

The test was developed in cooperation with Prof. Dr. Rando Allikmets from Columbia University (USA).