NEW YORK (GenomeWeb) – Atlas Genomics today announced an agreement with Henry Schein Medical for non-invasive prenatal testing (NIPT) and carrier screening.
Under the agreement, Henry Schein Medical, the US-based medical business of healthcare products firm Henry Schein, will offer its customers Atlas Genomics' tests, and its sales representatives will provide access to more than 25,000 OB-GYNs who currently conduct prenatal testing, Atlas said in a statement. Atlas, a privately held CLIA-certified high-complexity laboratory based in Seattle, will function as Henry Schein's laboratory for noninvasive prenatal testing and carrier screening.
NIPT, also called prenatal cell-free DNA (cfDNA) screening, identifies specific chromosomal abnormalities in a developing baby, including trisomy abnormalities. During prenatal cell-free DNA screening, DNA from the mother and fetus is extracted from a maternal blood sample to screen for the increased chance for specific chromosome problems, such as Down syndrome.