Illumina Partners With Henry Ford Health To Study Impact Of Comprehensive Genomic Testing For Cardiovascular Patients

Henry Ford Health, a not-for-profit healthcare organisation in the Detroit metro region, and Illumina Inc., a world leader in DNA sequencing and array-based technologies, have announced the beginning of a cooperation to examine the effects of comprehensive genetic testing on cardiovascular disease. The Division of Cardiovascular Medicine at Henry Ford will provide care for 1,500 patients in the first trial to be conducted under this new agreement, called CardioSeq.

In a series of implementation and clinical studies, the Lisa and Christopher Jeffries Center for Precision Medicine and the Center for Individualized and Genomic Medicine Research at Henry Ford Health will examine the use of next-generation sequencing tests, including whole-genome sequencing (WGS), to gauge their influence on clinical care. Cardiovascular illness, which has a significant clinical and financial impact on the health care ecosystem, will be the main topic of the studies, with a focus on underserved and diverse populations.

"This study is the first of several that will measure the impact of whole-genome sequencing in patients with cardiovascular disease," said Dr. David Lanfear, vice president of clinical and translational research at Henry Ford Health and the study's lead clinician. "What we're initially most interested in is the rate of the change in medical management due to the genetic information, but eventually we will be looking at differences in cost and clinical outcomes as well." Dr. Phil Febbo, chief medical officer of Illumina, added: "We are honored to partner with Henry Ford Health to assess the potential benefits of integrating genomic testing within specialized care centers in the health care system. We share the belief that genomics should be integrated into standard of care across clinical indications as one of the key determinants of health.

We intend for our partnership to demonstrate the benefits of such an approach for individual patients and the broader health care system, especially in underserved communities." According to the World Health Organization, cardiovascular disease is the top cause of mortality worldwide, including in the United States. A patient's response to widely given drugs and risk of acquiring cardiovascular disease are both significantly influenced by their genetic makeup. The Illumina-developed approved clinical test will be used in the CardioSeq trial to generate a thorough cardiovascular genetic profile. Clinical staff and patients can use genomic profiling to provide a more full picture on which to base risk management and care planning decisions.

This knowledge might aid in early diagnosis and lessen unexpected side effects, tests, and doctor visits. Each patient will be screened by the WGS test used in CardioSeq for more than 200 genetic causes of cardiovascular disease as well as the secondary findings genes recommended by the American College of Medical Geneticists and Genomics, which are connected to known inherited conditions for which interventions are available to lessen the severity of the clinical outcome. Based on recommendations from the Food and Drug Administration and Clinical Pharmacogenetics Implementation Consortium, the test also provides pharmacogenetic results, which provide important details on how a person would react to a specific drug based on their DNA.

Patients who participate in the study will be informed of any discoveries with genetic diseases and given the opportunity to learn more. All pharmacogenetic findings will be reviewed by pharmacists, who will then offer any pertinent advice. The patients' doctors will also be informed of the results. All 1,500 CardioSeq participants will have had their testing finished by Henry Ford researchers by 2024. In order to advance the field of cardiovascular wellness and treatment, the partners will also use the patients' samples and clinical data, with their informed agreement. Illumina is enhancing human health by utilising the genome's potential. Our 25 years of innovation have made us a leader in DNA sequencing and array-based technologies, serving clients in the academic, clinical, and application industries. In 2023, we will recognise this anniversary.