deCODE to Integrate New Genetic Risk Factor for Type 2 Diabetes Into Its deCODEme(TM) Personal Genome Scan Service
(Nasdaq: DCGN) today announced the discovery by an international consortium of
scientists from deCODE and major European and US academic institutions of a
single letter variation in the human genome (SNP) that is associated with
increased fasting glucose levels and risk of type 2 diabetes (T2D). deCODE
will employ its CLIA-registered genotyping laboratory and existing testing
platform to swiftly integrate the finding into its deCODEme(TM) personal
genome scan, and to assess the addition of this new variant to the company’s
deCODE T2(TM) reference laboratory test for assessing individual risk of type
2 diabetes.
The multinational study analyzed a number of SNPs that had been
suggestively linked with fasting glucose levels in several major studies
involving some 36,000 individuals from
analysis identified a version of single SNP within the gene encoding melatonin
receptor IB (MTNR1B) that was associated with notable increase in fasting
glucose levels. The deCODE team then demonstrated in its Icelandic cohort that
this SNP also associated with an increased risk of T2D, a finding that was
then replicated in a meta-analysis of data from more than 80,000 cases and
controls from
study carry two copies of the at-risk version of this SNP, putting them at
more than 15 percent greater risk of type 2 diabetes than individuals who
carry no copies. The paper, entitled “Variants in MTNR1B influence fasting
glucose levels,” is published today in the online edition of Nature Genetics,
and will appear in an upcoming print edition of the journal.
“This finding is another step towards rounding out our understanding of
the genetic factors that underpin glucose regulation and risk of type 2
diabetes. This variant does not confer sufficient risk to be of clinical
utility on its own. But when measured in addition to our TCF7L2 variant that
is the anchor of the deCODE T2(TM) test, it may, like other common variants
conferring modest risk, enable the test to capture an even larger proportion
of inherited risk. We are currently evaluating its integration into deCODE
T2(TM), because understanding genetic risk of T2D enables individuals and
their physicians to focus, personalize and improve prevention. In the
meantime, we will be enabling our deCODEme subscribers to check their profiles
for this new variant, keeping them at the cutting edge of human genetics,”
said
Type 2 diabetes: A major public health problem
T2D is a chronic condition that develops when the body either becomes
resistant to or doesn’t secrete enough insulin. Diabetes affects nearly 200
million people worldwide and, according to the American Diabetes Association,
some 21 million in
as many as one third of Americans with diabetes may not even be aware that
they have the disease. More than 50 million Americans have pre-diabetes, a
condition characterized by elevated blood glucose levels and which puts these
individuals at high risk for developing T2D. T2D can be managed and – most
importantly – prevented. If losing weight, eating better and getting adequate
exercise aren’t enough, there are also medications that can help to manage
blood sugar levels and insulin response to reduce the likelihood of developing
diabetes. For more information on T2D and how to prevent it, you can go to the
American Diabetes Association’s website at http://www.diabetes.org.
About deCODE
deCODE is a bio-pharmaceutical company developing drugs and DNA-based
tests to improve the treatment, diagnosis and prevention of common diseases.
Its lead therapeutic programs, which leverage the company’s expertise in
chemistry and structural biology, include DG041, an antiplatelet compound
being developed for the prevention of arterial thrombosis; DG051 and DG031,
compounds targeting the leukotriene pathway for the prevention of heart
attack; and DG071 and a platform for other PDE4 modulators with therapeutic
applications in Alzheimer’s disease and other conditions. deCODE is a global
leader in human genetics, and has identified key variations in the genome
(SNPs) conferring increased risk of major public health challenges from
cardiovascular disease to cancer. Based upon these discoveries deCODE has
brought to market a growing range of DNA-based tests for gauging risk and
empowering prevention of common diseases. Through its CLIA-registered
laboratory, deCODE offers deCODE T2(TM) for type 2 diabetes; deCODE AF(TM) for
atrial fibrillation and stroke; deCODE MI(TM) for heart attack; deCODE
ProstateCancer(TM) for prostate cancer; deCODE Glaucoma(TM) for a major type
of glaucoma; and deCODE BreastCancer(TM), for the common forms of breast
cancer. deCODE is delivering on the promise of the new genetics(SM). Visit us
on the web at http://www.decode.com; on our diagnostics site at
http://www.decodediagnostics.com; for our pioneering personal genome analysis
service, integrating the genetic variants included in these tests and those
linked to another twenty common diseases, at http://www.decodeme.com; and on
our blog at http://www.decodeyou.com.
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events or performance are forward-looking statements within the meaning of the
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actual results, and the timing of events, to differ materially from those
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identification of compounds and the completion of clinical trials, the effect
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competitive products, industry trends and other risks identified in deCODE’s
filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including, without
limitation, the risk factors identified in our most recent Annual Report on
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SOURCE deCODE genetics