deCODE genetics and ARUP Laboratories announced a partnership through which ARUP will offer deCODE’s DNA-based prostate cancer risk assessment test to its clients nationwide.
Under the terms of the non-exclusive agreement, ARUP will integrate deCODE ProstateCancer into the portfolio of tests it offers to leading academic medical centers, public and private healthcare providers, and major hospitals across the United States. ARUP’s clients will order the test, submit samples and receive results through ARUP, with deCODE conducting the genetic analysis in its CAP and CLIA-certified laboratory.
deCODE ProstateCancer measures 25 common single-letter variations, or SNPs, in the sequence of the human genome that are associated with the risk of prostate cancer. These SNPs were validated in tens of thousands of patients and controls in many populations. The risk conferred by these common SNPs is independent of family history, and does not correlate with benign prostatic hyperplasia (a non-cancerous enlargement of the prostate). The test can identify approximately 15% of men in the general population who are at double the average risk of prostate cancer as well as 5% who have triple the average risk. This test is complementary to standard clinical risk screening, including PSA, providing additional information for a more complete and personalized picture of individual risk to help doctors manage effective screening and early-detection strategies.
ARUP Laboratories plans to begin offering deCODE’s prostate cancer risk test to clients in the fall of 2010.