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PerkinElmer To Provide Genetic Testing for Decode Duchenne Program

NEW YORK (GenomeWeb) – PerkinElmer said today that Parent Project Muscular Dystrophy (PPMD) has selected it to provide genetic testing for its Decode Duchenne program, a no-cost testing and counseling effort for people with Duchenne who otherwise could not afford genetic analyses.

The testing PerkinElmer will be responsible for includes sequencing of the 2.2MB region of the Duchenne gene, with a readout of sequence variants, deletions, and duplications. Individuals who test negative using this approach are then eligible for a 131-gene panel targeting genes involved in neuromuscular disorders, and potentially for whole-exome sequencing.

PerkinElmer said that it will also offer carrier testing and support for families as part of its participation in the Decode program.

Sarepta Therapeutics and PTC Therapeutics are sponsors of the PPMD project. Additional financial details of the testing agreement with PerkinElmer were not disclosed.

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