NEW YORK, April 27, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- YouGene Corp. announced today that it has signed a licensing agreement with Columbia Technology Ventures, the technology transfer office of Columbia University, to bring a portfolio of non-invasive gene-based tests for kidney disease into the clinical setting using the YouGene-Connect® platform.

The YouGene-Connect^® platform brings research and validated genetic tests from a variety of leading global institutions from Europe, North America, and Asia to a broader clinical audience.

The portfolio includes non-invasive tests that look for genetic biomarkers to determine a patient's risk for developing a severe type of kidney disease known as IgA nephropathy. The condition is currently diagnosed with surgical biopsy. Using genetic tests may enable doctors to intervene earlier and offer more personalized therapies to patients with IgA nephropathy.

Genetic data is increasingly used to guide clinical decision-making, both to test for heritable conditions and to select patient-specific therapies for conditions such as cancer and autoimmune diseases. With the increased number of clinical applications for gene-based testing, and the continued decrease in genomic sequencing costs, tens of thousands of patients are having their genomes sequenced to improve their clinical care. 

"YouGene-Connect enables developers of genetic 'apps' to quickly get their work into the hands of clinicians in a quality-controlled environment," said Roger Hahn, CEO of YouGene. "Our technology brings a diverse group of biomarker and test developers together under one roof."

About YouGene

Founded in 2009, YouGene is a global leader in the emerging field of in-silico clinical genetic testing, and was founded to enable better patient access to the latest genetic research.  In pursuit of this mission, the company created YouGene-Connect^®, a scalable platform for researchers and test developers to collaborate, ensuring clear contributor attribution and rewards based on proportional contributions for a given genetic test. The company's consumer offering, YouGene-Bank^® allows patients to take control and ownership of their genetic code and enables selective access by health care providers as needed. The offering is regulatory compliant using patented and proprietary technologies, and uses certified secure cloud architecture to ensure the highest standards of diagnostic accuracy.

In conjunction, both the YouGene-Connect^® and the YouGene-Bank^® platforms provide a framework in which a physician can prescribe a genetic test on a patient's genomic data via an electronic medical record system, returning a clinical-grade result in minutes, a process that previously took weeks using traditional methods.  Additional information about YouGene is available at www.yougenebank.com  

SOURCE YouGene

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