GeneDx to Partner with Florida’s Sunshine Genetics Network, Launching Nation’s First State-Backed Genomic Newborn Screening Program

GeneDx (Nasdaq: WGS), a leader in delivering improved health outcomes through genomic insights, today announced Florida State University has selected GeneDx as one of its partners for the recently passed Sunshine Genetics Act, a groundbreaking initiative establishing the nation’s first state-backed genomic newborn screening (gNBS) program.

The Sunshine Genetics program, a five-year pilot program, will offer whole-genome sequencing for newborns at select academic medical centers and hospitals, providing families and clinicians the opportunity for early detection and diagnosis of rare diseases. Under the Sunshine Genetics Act, Florida becomes the first state to offer genomic newborn screening for hundreds of diseases, marking a historic expansion from research to the standard of care. The program’s goal is to sequence 100,000 newborns.

As the leading rare disease diagnosis company, GeneDx will provide support for this first-of-its-kind program through a combination of offerings, including end-to-end genomic testing, sequencing, expert interpretation, and clinical reporting. With the company’s unmatched scale and experience and having sequenced nearly one million exomes and genomes, GeneDx is uniquely positioned to partner with Florida to integrate genomic screening into routine pediatric care.

“We are honored to be a partner in Florida’s groundbreaking Sunshine Genetics program, the first state-backed effort to offer genomic newborn screening for hundreds of conditions helping ensure that every newborn in Florida has the best chance to live a long and healthy life from the start,” said Katherine Stueland, CEO of GeneDx. “With the launch of this program, Florida is setting a powerful example for how clinical practice can utilize genomic newborn screening to identify actionable insights early enough to stop disease progression before symptoms ever appear.”

Through its role as the sequencing and interpretation partner for the GUARDIAN study, GeneDx has already sequenced more than 17,000 newborns. The study demonstrated that genome sequencing at birth can identify a rare disease in 3.2 percent of newborns, representing over 100,000 babies each year who could benefit from early, targeted care for treatable but previously undetected genetic conditions.

“Having lost my own son to a rare disease when he was just 4 years old, I know firsthand how critical early diagnosis and rapid treatment can be. We are giving Florida’s families a life-changing opportunity to diagnose, treat and potentially stop disease progression before it ever starts. That is why we are so excited to be the first state to roll out newborn genomic screening,” said state Rep. Adam Anderson, who sponsored the Sunshine Genetics Act. “With the company’s integrated testing and interpretation solutions, GeneDx is the right partner to help us bring insights and information to parents and clinicians who deserve to have answers from day one. This is not only the right thing to do for families, it’s also a wise investment potentially saving our healthcare system billions of dollars annually. Florida can be the model for other states to ensure the healthy lives of all children, from day one.”