12 Oct 2020 07:00
Yourgene Health plc
("Yourgene" or the "Group" or the "Company")
Elucigene DPYD tests to be used routinely in Wales
Wales is first UK nation to offer DPYD screening to patients undergoing chemotherapy
DPYD tests screen patients to identify risk of severe side effects from certain chemotherapy treatments
Manchester, UK - 12 October 2020: Yourgene (AIM: YGEN), the international molecular diagnostics group, announces its oncology product, Elucigene DPYD test, is now being used in Wales to routinely screen all cancer patients prior to the start of treatment with chemotherapeutic drug 5-Fluorouracil (5-FU), to identify the risk of severe side effects.
Wales is the first nation in the UK to implement this screening programme and offer the DPYD test to all patients, with over 400 samples already taken and 6% of patients coming back positive. All Wales Medical Genomics Service (AWMGS), which provides specialist genetic services to individuals with, or concerned about rare genetic conditions, commenced a pilot phase earlier this year which was successful, leading to the launch of the service this week. It has led to all health boards across Wales routinely offering the DPYD test to cancer patients, of which Yourgene is the sole provider.
Elucigene DPYD is a simple-to-use genotyping test that can identify cancer patients with Dihydropyrimidine Dehydrogenase (DPD) deficiency, which can cause severe and sometimes lethal side effects in patients being treated with chemotherapeutic drug 5-Fluorouracil (5-FU), commonly used in the treatment of colon, oesophageal, stomach, pancreatic, breast and cervical cancers. 5-FU is metabolized by the DPD enzyme which is encoded by the DPYD gene.
Yourgene will be providing the Elucigene DPYD tests to screen for approximately 200 patients each month for the next year. If 2,400 patients are screened, at the positive rate of 6% continues, we anticipate 144 cancer patients will be prevented from having toxic chemotherapy reactions.
Lyn Rees, CEO of Yourgene, commented: "It is fantastic to see this form of personalised medicine implemented across Wales, allowing the quality of care for cancer patients to improve, ultimately saving lives. Yourgene is proud to be sole supplier of DPYD so soon after its launch in September 2019 and looks forward to similar schemes being rolled out across the UK."
Yourgene Health plc Lyn Rees, Chief Executive Officer | Tel: +44 (0)161 669 8122 investors@yourgene-health.com | ||
Barry Hextall, Chief Financial Officer |
| ||
Joanne Cross, Director of Marketing |
| ||
|
| ||
|
| ||
|
| ||
|
| ||
N+1 Singer (Joint Corporate Broker) | Tel: +44 (0)20 7496 3000 | ||
Aubrey Powell / Tom Salvesen / George Tzimas |
| ||
|
| ||
Stifel Nicolaus Europe Limited (Joint Corporate Broker) | Tel: +44 (0)20 7710 7600 | ||
Nicholas Moore / Matthew Blawat / Ben Maddison |
| ||
|
| ||
|
| ||
Walbrook PR Ltd (Media and Investor Relations) | Tel: +44 (0)20 7933 8780 or yourgene@walbrookpr.com | ||
Paul McManus / Lianne Cawthorne | Mob: 07980 541 893 / Mob: 07584 391 303 | ||
|
|
| |
About Yourgene Health plc
Yourgene is an international molecular diagnostics group which develops and commercialises genetic products and services. The group works in partnership with global leaders in DNA technology to advance diagnostic science.
Yourgene develops and commercialises simple and accurate molecular diagnostic solutions, for reproductive health and molecular genetics. The Group's products include non-invasive prenatal tests (NIPT) for Down's Syndrome and other genetic disorders, Cystic Fibrosis screening tests, invasive rapid aneuploidy tests, male infertility tests and genetic disease tests. Yourgene's commercial footprint is already established in the UK, Europe, the Middle East, Africa and Asia.
Our product development, research service and commercial capabilities extend across the lifecycle of genetic test development including regulatory submissions. Through our technical expertise and partnerships, Yourgene is also extending its genetic testing offering into oncology.
Yourgene is headquartered in Manchester, UK with offices in Taipei and Singapore, and is listed on the London Stock Exchange's AIM market under the ticker "YGEN". For more information, visit www.yourgene-health.com and follow us on twitter @Yourgene_Health.
Forward-Looking Statements
Certain statements made in this announcement are forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements are not historical facts but rather are based on the Company's current expectations, estimates, and projections about its industry; its beliefs; and assumptions. Words such as 'anticipates,' 'expects,' 'intends,' 'plans,' 'believes,' 'seeks,' 'estimates,' and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements. These statements are not guarantees of future performance and are subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties, and other factors, some of which are beyond the Company's control, are difficult to predict, and could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or forecasted in the forward-looking statements. The Company cautions security holders and prospective security holders not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which reflect the view of the Company only as of the date of this announcement. The forward-looking statements made in this announcement relate only to events as of the date on which the statements are made. The Company will not undertake any obligation to release publicly any revisions or updates to these forward-looking statements to reflect events, circumstances, or unanticipated events occurring after the date of this announcement except as required by law or by any appropriate regulatory authority.