Asper Biogene – genetic testing company

Vitreoretinopathy NGS panel with 19 genes has been added to Asper Ophthalmics testing portfolio. Read more about genes and diseases covered by the panel on www.asperbio.com/vitreoretinopathy

All our catalogue prices will be reduced by 10% for the next two months. Use the great opportunity and make sure  to place your order before January 31, 2018.

We wish to inform our clients and partners that Asper Biotech has been acquired by Asper Biogene LLC and is therefore under new management. The business and day-to-day operations will continue to be conducted as usual and the change in ownership will not bring about any changes to client relationships and processes. Corporate identity of the company will be renewed in the near future.

International meeting on mitochondrial pathology was held in Cologne, 11-15 June.

Poster “Effectiveness of the whole mitochondrial DNA sequencing in patients with suspected mitochondrial disorder” was presented by our clinical geneticist Dr Kairit Joost at the meeting.

As Asper Biotech is turning 18 today we would like to thank all our loyal customers and partners for being part of this journey and for supporting us over the years. Though celebrating the anniversary we are still keeping busy with upgrading the testing portfolios. Asper Ophthalmics has been updated with several new tests inquired by our customers. These include NGS panels for anophthalmia/microphthalmia/coloboma/anterior segment dysgenesis and cataract as well as single gene sequencing for Norrie Disease and papillorenal syndrome.

NGS panel now includes 56 genes associated with different types of Charcot-Marie-Tooth Disease and also other neuropathies. Full list of genes is available on https://www.asperbio.com/asper-neurogenetics/charcot-marie-tooth-disease/charcot-marie-tooth-disease-ngs-panel/

We set about to provide bioinformatic analysis and interpretation of your genetic data. Our highly qualified geneticists are analyzing and interpreting your sequencing data, deletion/duplication analysis results etc.

Our thorough clinical interpretation includes phenotypic and clinical information evaluation; careful classification of variants based on population frequency, variant databases, in-silico prediction models and conservation scores; as well as recommendations for further testing strategies if necessary. Identified findings are reported according to the American College of Medical Genetics and Genomics (ACMG 2015) recommendations.

Ask customized solution from our experienced team to facilitate your clinical practice.

Frontotemporal dementia, Parkinson disease and dystonia gene panels are now listed in the neurogenetics testing menu. Asper Neurogenetics is our fast growing portfolio and most lately added tests have been implemented at the initiative of our customers. We are continually open for your comments and suggestions on new testing panels.

Today Asper Biotech is celebrating it’s 17th year in the field of genetics. We started with offering genetic tests for the diagnostics of inherited eye diseases, and now we have  branched out into other specialties as oncology, cardiology, and neurology. Our testing services are constantly expanding to provide valuable and flexible diagnostic solutions to our clients’ practices. We’d like to thank our customers and partners for long-time trust, support and partnership. We’ll keep our tests up-to-date and standards high.

We have upgraded our Asper Neurogenetics testing menu with several new gene panels for diagnostics of different forms of craniosynostosis, hereditary spastic paraplegia, and  spinocerebellar ataxia.

Craniosynostosis panel includes 7 genes, hereditary spastic paraplegia 34 genes and spinocerebellar ataxia 68 genes. For hereditary spastic paraplegia there is also the targeted mutation analysis of the MT-ATP6 gene available. New testing panels provide valuable input to determine differential diagnosis of the diseases with neurological involvement.

We are offering pre- and post-test genetic consultation (60 €) to referring physicians and health-care professionals. Our medical geneticists are available by email/phone/Skype to provide support in making decisions between different testing possibilities and discussing test results in order to employ a wide range of molecular diagnostics approaches. Contact info[at]asperbio.com to register for consultation.

The second plenary meeting of the PREDICTION-ADR consortium was held in Uppsala, September 15 and 16, 2015.

On the first day of meeting, the recruitment of patients to both the statin-induced myopathy and the angiotensin-converting 
inhibitor-induced
angioedema arms studies, was discussed. Recruitment of both discovery cohorts has been completed and the focus is now on final recruitment of patients for the replication cohorts.

On day 2 the focus was on sequencing harmonization studies carried out in preparation for sequencing DNA samples in the main studies. Studies at the Universities of Dundee, Liverpool and Uppsala showed very consistent data between all three centers. This means that everything is now ready for sequencing the samples in the principal PREDICTION-ADR studies, which is due to begin.

Prediction-ADR aims to discover the genetic factors predisposing patients to adverse drug reactions from cardiovascular disease drugs. The project has received funding from the European Union’s Seventh Framework Program for research, technological development and demonstration under grant agreement no 602108.

For further information see Prediction-ADR-Newsletter

Progress meeting of the CTCTrap (Circulating Tumor Cells TheRapeutic APheresis) consortium was held in Tallinn, 8-9 Sept. On the first day results of phenotypical characterization and molecular profiling of CTCs were discussed. Talks on project milestones for final year took place next day. The final year sees validation of CTCapheresis for clinical use.

CTCTrap aims to develop safe and effective equipment to collect CTCs from peripheral blood in cancer patients for the molecular characterization of these cells for better diagnostic and treatment options. Furthermore the results of the project provide a new knowledge on metastasis’ mechanism, risk assessment and the optimal therapy choice during the course of the disease of cancer patients.

The CTCTrap consortium consists of 4 Small & Medium Enterprises (SME) and 7 academic institutions and is funded through FP7 health. 2012.1.2-1 #305341.

For further information see CTCTrap newsletter.