SAN FRANCISCO--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Invitae Corporation (NYSE: NVTA), a genetic information company, today announced a collaboration with Helix, a personal genomics company, to build novel, clinician-approved genetic testing applications designed to work with Helix’s CLIA-certified DNA sequencing platform to provide screening applications for health and wellness. Individuals who utilize the Helix consumer platform will be able to select health applications from Invitae pending approval by a clinician. Invitae will then provide a full interpretation of the results.

Through this collaboration, Invitae will offer some of the first health apps on the Helix platform for common, actionable inherited disorders. The Invitae apps will be designed to provide healthy individuals with a proactive genetic health scan focused on risk factors for common diseases for which there are preventive measures available. The collaboration will initially focus on common, actionable genes associated with inherited forms of cancer and cardiovascular disease, with plans to offer additional applications in the future.

“Our goal is to provide healthy individuals and their clinicians with a more proactive approach by making common, actionable genetic tests more accessible,” said Randy Scott, chairman and chief executive officer of Invitae. “Historically genetic testing has only been available for high risk or symptomatic patients. With the Helix platform we can now provide low cost genetic “health scans” for healthy individuals with the power to introduce more preventive health measures in advance of disease diagnosis.”

“We’re pleased that individuals using our platform will have access to Invitae’s best-in-class understanding of the genetic risk factors for inherited diseases,” said Robin Thurston, CEO of Helix. “We believe every person can benefit from the opportunity to discover insights into their DNA, and, in particular, how it informs their health.”

This type of health scan is intended for healthy individuals at low risk for disease. Health scans would not be appropriate for high-risk individuals who are already diagnosed with a hereditary condition or have a significant family history, where a more comprehensive diagnostic test would be more appropriate. To help ensure the apps are used in a medically responsible way, clinical oversight and expert support is integrated into the offering. A request to use an Invitae app will require a clinician to finalize the order prior to a health-related report being delivered. In addition, Invitae will provide access to genetic counseling for patients using their health apps on the Helix platform.

“Making Invitae expertise available through Helix will add an important health-related component to this new approach to personal genomics,” said Robert Nussbaum, MD, chief medical officer of Invitae. “Individuals using Helix will have access to tests that help them make more informed health decisions, backed by Invitae’s high quality and medical expertise.”

Invitae’s collaboration with Helix complements Invitae’s existing menu of genetic testing, which will continue to be based in Invitae’s own College of American Pathologists (CAP)-accredited and Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments (CLIA)-certified clinical diagnostic laboratory.

Invitae’s health-related scans on the Helix platform are expected to be available in 2017.

About Invitae

Invitae Corporation's (NYSE: NVTA) mission is to bring comprehensive genetic information into mainstream medical practice to improve the quality of healthcare for billions of people. Invitae’s goal is to aggregate most of the world’s genetic tests into a single service with higher quality, faster turnaround time, and lower price than many single-gene and panel tests today. The company currently provides a diagnostic service comprising hundreds of genes for a variety of genetic disorders associated with oncology, cardiology, neurology, pediatrics, and other rare disease areas. For more information, visit our website at invitae.com.

About Helix

Helix is a personal genomics company with a simple but powerful mission: to empower every person to improve their life through DNA. We’re creating an ecosystem where people can explore diverse and uniquely personalized applications provided by high-quality partners. Helix handles sample collection, DNA sequencing, and secure data storage so that our partners can develop on-demand products in areas such as health, fitness, nutrition, lifestyle, genealogy, and inherited traits. Helix is headquartered in the San Francisco Bay Area and operates one of the world’s largest next-generation sequencing laboratories in San Diego. You can learn more at www.helix.com or follow @my_helix.

Safe Harbor Statements

This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, including statements relating to the ultimate functionality, features, availability and processes used by the Invitae apps and the Helix consumer platform; the genes covered by the Invitae apps; the company’s beliefs with respect to the benefits of the Invitae apps and the Helix platform; the company’s goal of providing healthy individuals and their clinicians actionable genetic tests and increasing accessibility; the company’s ability to provide low cost genetic “health scans” with the Helix platform; the company’s belief that individuals using Helix will have access to tests that help them make more informed health decisions, backed by Invitae’s high quality and medical expertise; genetic testing and its impact on diagnosis, treatment and prevention of disease; and the company’s commitment to bringing genetics into mainstream medicine. 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 risk that the company’s apps are not ultimately launched; risks associated with the company’s ability to use rapidly changing genetic data to interpret test results accurately and consistently; laws and regulations applicable to the company’s business, including state licensing requirements and potential regulation by the Food and Drug Administration; the company’s ability to develop and commercialize new tests and expand into new markets; and the other risks set forth in the company’s filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including the risks set forth in the company’s Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended June 30, 2016. These forward-looking statements speak only as of the date hereof, and Invitae Corporation disclaims any obligation to update these forward-looking statements.

NOTE: Invitae and the Invitae logo are trademarks of Invitae Corporation. All other trademarks and service marks are the property of their respective owners.

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Source: Invitae Corporation