DISCOVER FH Collaboration With Family Heart Foundation, UT Southwestern, and Partners

LIPID inCode tests patients to identify familial hypercholesterolemia and prevent cardiovascular disease

OXFORD, ENGLAND / ACCESSWIRE / September 20, 2024 / GENinCode Plc (AIM:GENI), the genetics company focused on the prevention of cardiovascular disease and ovarian cancer, announces its collaboration with The Family Heart Foundation, UT Southwestern, and other partner members to use the LIPID inCode monogenic and polygenic test in US Primary and Secondary Care settings for the diagnosis of familial hypercholesterolemia ("FH") with further information available to physicians for polygenic hypercholesterolemia (high levels of cholesterol) and coronary heart disease risk.

Foto: Accesswire

Supported by a US Department of Defense grant, the DISCOVER FH¹ mission is to "Research to improve early diagnosis of familial hypercholesterolemia (FH) through family screening and the implementation of diagnostic tools, including in the pediatric population." LIPID inCode is the diagnostic tool used for identification of patients with FH and cascade screening. Cascade screening is the process of screening family members once a person is diagnosed with FH in order to identify others who may be affected. This approach can identify both adults and children early in life, allowing earlier treatment with cholesterol-lowering therapies and reductions in the risk of heart disease.

Individuals tested in the program will be identified from two US healthcare systems, UT Southwestern Medical Center and the Veteran Affairs (VA) North Texas Health Care system. After an individual is genetically confirmed to have FH, the Family Heart Foundation will directly contact at-risk family members to educate them about their risk for FH, the significance, and coordinate genetic testing.

"Collaborating with GENinCode and partners to implement FH testing brings us one step closer to broader and more accessible cascade screening at a national level, helping to save future generations from cardiovascular disease," said Katherine Wilemon, Founder and CEO of Family Heart Foundation. "Cascade screening is a powerful, proven method to improve early diagnosis of FH and reduce preventable heart attacks and strokes. Together, we are poised to make this life-saving screening more accessible, ultimately safeguarding the health of future generations and reducing the burden of cardiovascular disease."