BURLINGAME, Calif., April 11, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, Color Genomics announced partnerships with healthcare companies in Finland, Israel and Turkey as well as the ability for individuals and providers to purchase the Color Test in over 100 countries. The three healthcare companies, GenoMill Health in Finland, Fugene Genetics in Israel and Genoks Technology in Turkey, will offer the Color Test to their clients along with localized services. Healthcare providers and individuals can also now purchase the Color Test from outside the U.S. in select countries as part of Color's standard purchasing process.

"Increased access to genetic testing can help early detection and decrease cancer mortality rates across the globe," said Othman Laraki, co-founder and president of Color Genomics. "The value of early detection of cancer does not stop at national boundaries. Our goal is to remove common barriers to access, including high costs and friction, in order to help individuals and their healthcare providers get the information they need regardless of economic status, geography or ethnicity."

"Our mission is to democratize the use of genetic information and make high-quality clinical genomics widely available," said Marko Sirkiä, CEO of GenoMill Health. "We believe everyone should be able to acquire information about their inherited risk factors and health status in an easy and affordable way. Our collaboration with Color helps us to continue to make that a reality."

"It's critical to provide reliable information when offering genetic testing," said Noa Rinzler Diwan, CEO of Fugene Genetics. "As a result of our collaboration, more people and providers in Israel will have access now to clinical-grade testing and the opportunity to build preventive plans."

"It's our top priority to offer clients fast and accurate services at a competitive price," said Eren Akdeniz, Director of Genoks Technology. "Our collaboration with Color mirrors that mission by giving people in Turkey the opportunity to access clinical-grade, reliable information around their genetic risk of breast and ovarian cancer."

Since Color launched in April 2015, individuals and providers from countries across Africa, Asia, Europe, the Middle East, North America, Central and South America have requested the Color Test for their region. Additionally, healthcare providers in the U.S. have requested the Color Test for their patients' family members living across the globe. To meet this demand, Color is now accepting clients and healthcare providers from over 100 countries and actively partnering with leading healthcare companies around the world to democratize access to genetic testing worldwide. Color is not available in all countries yet due to country-specific regulatory requirements.

A recent study in the U.K. found that "despite the increasing clinical importance of germline BRCA mutation status in managing women with ovarian cancer, few patients are currently being tested. The traditional means of selecting patients for BRCA mutation testing using restrictive criteria will miss many women with a mutation."¹ Comparable studies identifying the gap in access, awareness or prevention can be found from various other countries including Canada, Israel, Norway, and South Africa.^2,3,4

To learn more about Color, please visit, www.getcolor.com

To learn more about partnering with Color in your country, please email partnerships@getcolor.com

About Color Genomics:
Launched in April 2015, Color Genomics' goal is to democratize access to genetic information. The Color Test is physician ordered, analyzes 19-genes closely associated with breast and ovarian cancer including BRCA1 and BRCA2, and offers complimentary board-certified genetic counseling for clients and healthcare providers. Headquartered in Burlingame, CA, Color Genomics is privately held and backed by Khosla Ventures, Formation 8 and several leading angel investors. To learn more about Color, follow Color on Twitter @ColorGenomics or Facebook at facebook.com/ColorGenomics and visit getcolor.com.

1. UK BRCA mutation testing in patients with ovarian cancer, December 15, 2015 The Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust, Fulham Road, London SW3 6JJ, UK.Pubmed ID: 26669451
2. Is it time to offer BRCA1 and BRCA2 testing to all Jewish women? Curr Oncol. 2015 Aug; 22(4): e233–e236. doi:  10.3747/co.22.2527
3. Genetic epidemiology of BRCA mutations – family history detects less than 50% of the mutation carriers Pa˚ l Møller,*, Anne Irene Hagen, Jaran Apold, Lovise Maehle, Neal Clark, Bent Fiane, Kjell Løvslett, Eivind Hovig, Anita Vabø
4. Genetic services and testing in South Africa Jennifer G. R. Kromberg, corresponding author Elaine B. Sizer, and Arnold L. Christianson Published online 2012 Jun 19. doi:  10.1007/s12687-012-0101-5

SOURCE Color Genomics

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