In order to better anticipate the likelihood of fetal trisomy, Yourgene Health, a division of Novacyt Diagnostics, is collaborating with Rabat-based Laboriad (Centre de Biologie Riad) to establish the first groundbreaking non-invasive prenatal testing (NIPT) technology in Morocco.
The IONA test will be available and labeled as the “COSY” test. The fetal trisomy 21 (Down’s syndrome), trisomy 18 (Edwards syndrome), or trisomy 13 (Patau’s syndrome) risk as well as the sex of the fetus can be predicted using the prenatal screening tool.
According to Medical Device Network, the analysis is carried out utilizing next-generation sequencing technologies on a maternal blood sample.
Previously, blood samples from Morocco needed to be sent to France and Germany in order to undergo NIPT.
The significant measure will now facilitate NIPT access in the surrounding areas and lower the possibility of test failures because of low fetal fraction, which can occur during shipment delays.
“We are very proud, once again, to be contributing to patient care where it is needed and to be the first to bring NIPT to Morocco through our partnership with pioneering companies, like Laboriad, who are at the forefront of clinical testing in the region,” said Lyn Rees, the Executive Director of Yourgene Health.
Dr Jalil Elattar, the Director of Laboriad, underlined the significance of this development for pregnant women in Morocco, saying“The establishment of the first NIPT platform in Morocco in collaboration with Yourgene Health, will improve the care of pregnant women in Morocco by giving gynecologists and pregnant women rapid access to new generation NIPT.”
The doctor added that Laboriad and Morocco are pleased to collaborate with Yourgene Health who have installed their NIPT technology in the laboratory, allowing doctors to finally perform NIPT locally, in less than a week.
This initiative will also make the tests affordable and more accessible to pregnant women in Morocco.