Founded in 2018, Estonian health tech company, Antegenes, has just raised €500k and signed a long-term strategic partnership agreement with UK-based healthcare company Everything Genetic Ltd. The fresh funding and new partnership will be used by Antegenes to implement genetic testing in the UK healthcare system and develop personalised cancer prevention methods.
Antegenes’ novel genetic tests assess a patient’s personal cancer risks, and include clinical recommendations for personalized cancer prevention. The tests are based on innovative polygenic risk score technology which helps to clarify a person’s genetic predispositions to cancer. It therefore allows for more accurate prevention and early detection measures – crucial in the fight with cancer. The tests are currently being used to determine the genetic risk for four cancers: breast cancer, prostate cancer, colon cancer, and skin melanoma.
Dr Peeter Padrik, CEO and founder of Antegenes, has said that the partnership with Everything Genetic “marks a historic step as we enter a new era of personalized cancer prevention. Most importantly, we have a clear shared vision of how innovative genetic solutions can help save lives and reduce the impact cancer has on our society”.
Cancer is a disease that is heavily influenced by genetics. The earlier medical professionals can spot the likelihood of a person developing cancer, and take the corresponding preventative measures, the better. With the genetic testing technology being developed by Antegenes, patient outcomes are vastly improved, and it is becoming more accessible and affordable to all. The Antegenes test consists of a quick five-minute saliva test to identify any predisposition to complex diseases, democratising patient experience.
Dr James McKay, Medical Director at Everything Genetics has said that “Antegenes tests truly have the potential to turn the old trope of prevention being better than the cure on its head, in identifying predisposition to certain conditions even before prevention. It demonstrates an exciting step in the advancement of life sciences and we really can’t wait to see how the technology impacts individual patients’ outcomes across the UK”
Antegenes’ products are based on peer-reviewed international research and have been evaluated and validated using anonymous population data of the Estonian Biobank and UK Biobank. The data from Antegenes’ tests provide three actionable data points for patients, including: absolute risk of developing the specific cancer over the next decade, general population comparison against people the same age, and relative comparison of your risk versus that of the general population.
