Invitae Launches Unlock™ Behind the Seizure® Program for Pediatric Epilepsy Patients

– Program provides accessible and affordable testing for pediatric epilepsy patients –

– Genetic and clinical insights from test results to strengthen Invitae's rare disease database –

SAN FRANCISCO, July 22, 2024  /PRNewswire/ -- Invitae (OTC: NVTAQ), a leading medical genetics company, today announced the launch of its Unlock™ Behind the Seizure^® program, which provides accessible and affordable genetic testing for pediatric epilepsy patients in the hopes of shortening the diagnostic odyssey and enabling a path towards effective, personalized care and precision therapy¹.

Millions of people worldwide live with epilepsy and more than half of epilepsies are caused by genetic abnormalities. Clinical practice guidelines recommend genetic testing for all patients with otherwise unexplained epilepsy², in part because early genetic testing can provide a direct, cost-effective and accurate tool to help support a diagnosis, and is associated with fewer invasive procedures for patients.³

Invitae Unlock Behind the Seizure is designed to make testing for patients under the age of 18 more accessible and affordable by assisting patients. Invitae believes that with results from this program, healthcare providers may gain insights into the underlying genetic cause of their patients' epilepsy, which can inform tailored treatment plans.

In a study, Invitae found that among patients with epilepsy and a molecular diagnosis, those tested with Invitae's epilepsy panel had a 1.4-fold higher rate of findings that impact disease management or prevention, compared to those tested with an exome test.⁴  Furthermore, healthcare providers reported that genetic diagnosis with this panel changed clinical management for half of the patients tested.⁵ In fact, in the clinical study by McKnight et al. 67% of epilepsy patients with positive results from genetic testing experienced a reduction or elimination of their seizures, when clinical treatment was documented as being changed based on the genetic test results⁵.

In addition to helping patients get a genetic diagnosis and receive the most effective therapy, where therapies for specific conditions don't yet exist, this program helps build the inclusiveness and diversity of Invitae's rare disease database with invaluable genetic and clinical insights from the test results. Biopharma teams harness these insights to inform groundbreaking research in rare disease drug discovery and connect patients to clinical trials and new therapies based on their genetic test results.

"Using genetic testing as a first-line diagnostic, such as through Invitae's Unlock Behind the Seizure, has been shown to dramatically decrease time to diagnosis for children experiencing unprovoked seizures. Earlier genetic diagnosis enables clinicians to provide precision therapies tailored to patients' specific type of epilepsy sooner, reducing or eliminating seizures for many patients with genetic epilepsy, and opening the opportunity to enroll in precision therapy clinical trials for many others." said Dr. Ed Esplin M.D., Ph.D., FACMG, Clinical Geneticist at Invitae. "Invitae is committed to improving outcomes for patients with a multitude of rare diseases. To date, we have provided testing for over 5 million patients, giving answers to patients and their families. With this data set, we are generating one of the largest genomic datasets in service of rare disease treatment research."

Invitae typically returns results within 10-21 days. The recent median turnaround time for this test is 7.5 calendar days, accelerating the time to critical answers for patients and their families who need them most.⁶ This program is available to individuals in the United States who are under the age of 18 and have experienced an unprovoked seizure. To learn more or to access the program, visit https://www.invitae.com/us/unlock-genetic-testing/behind-the-seizure.

About Invitae
Invitae (OTC: NVTAQ) is a leading medical genetics company trusted by millions of patients and their providers to deliver timely genetic information using digital technology. We aim to provide accurate and actionable answers to strengthen medical decision-making for individuals and their families. Invitae's genetics experts apply a rigorous approach to data and research, serving as the foundation of their mission to bring comprehensive genetic information into mainstream medicine to improve healthcare for billions of people.

To learn more, visit invitae.com and follow for updates on LinkedIn, X, Instagram, and Facebook @Invitae.

Safe Harbor Statement
This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, including statements relating to the company's beliefs regarding genetic testing for pediatric epilepsy patients and its Unlock Behind the Seizure program; and the potential results and benefits for the program to strengthen the company's rare disease database, and the ability of biopharma teams to utilize this information. Forward-looking statements are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially, and reported results should not be considered as an indication of future performance. These risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to: the applicability of clinical results to actual outcomes; the company's ability to use rapidly changing genetic data to interpret test results accurately and consistently; risks and uncertainties regarding the company's ability to successfully consummate and complete a plan under chapter 11 or any strategic or financial alternative as well as the company's ability to implement and realize any anticipated benefits associated with its sale of assets to Labcorp and any alternative that may be pursued, including the asset sales and wind down of operations; potential adverse effects of the chapter 11 cases on Invitae's business, financial condition, liquidity and results of operations; employee attrition and Invitae's ability to retain senior management and other key personnel due to the distractions and uncertainties caused by the chapter 11 cases; Invitae's ability to maintain relationships with suppliers, customers, employees, regulatory authorities and other third parties as a result of the chapter 11 cases; the company's public securities' potential liquidity and trading; and any impact resulting from the delisting of the company's common stock from the New York Stock Exchange and trading instead on the OTC Pink Marketplace; and the other risks and uncertainties disclosed in Invitae's annual and quarterly periodic reports and other documents filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. These forward-looking statements speak only as of the date hereof, and Invitae Corporation disclaims any obligation to update these forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future developments, or otherwise, except as required by law.

Invitae PR Contact
Amy Sands Hadsock
[email protected] 

1. Truty R, et al. Possible precision medicine implications from genetic testing using combined detection of sequence and intragenic copy number variants in a large cohort with childhood epilepsy. Epilepsia Open. 2019 Jul 1;4(3):397-408. doi: 10.1002/epi4.12348. PMID: 31440721.
2. Smith L, et al. Genetic testing and counseling for the unexplained epilepsies: An evidence-based practice guideline of the National Society of Genetic Counselors. J Genet Couns. 2023 Apr;32(2):266-280. doi: 10.1002/jgc4.1646. Epub 2022 Oct 24. PMID: 36281494.
3. Swartwood SM, et al. Genetic testing for the epilepsies: A systematic review. Epilepsia. 2022 Feb;63(2):375-387. Early Genetic Testing in Pediatric Epilepsy: Diagnostic and Cost Implications. Epilepsia Open. 2023 
4. Invitae data on file.
5. McKnight D et al. Genetic Testing to Inform Epilepsy Treatment Management From an International Study of Clinical Practice. JAMA Neurol. 2022
6. Invitae data on file, median TAT of 7.5 during Q2 2024.

SOURCE Invitae Corporation