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Hong Kong company launches genetic test for diabetes risk
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GemVCare, a biomedical start-up in Hong Kong, launched an inexpensive genetic test that identifies the risk for diabetes in Asian individuals, according to a company press release.
“In the case of Hong Kong, 30% of our population is overweight or have high blood pressure or abnormal lipids. One in four families has a member affected by diabetes, 10% of people are smokers, 10% of children have obesity and one in eight pregnancies are affected by gestational diabetes, all of whom are potential users of this technology,” Juliana Chan, chairperson of GemVCare, said in the release.
GemVCare developed the test after a 20-year study that included 20,000 participants. Researchers sought to pinpoint causes and effects of diabetes in Asians and identified a panel of genetic markers that interact with lifestyle factors to predict diabetes and related complications.
The company currently offers two tests: predicting diabetes risk in healthy people and predicting risks for complications in people with diabetes.
As a way to help users benefit from their test results, GemVCare has also developed a mobile app that will help people manage their own health.