ഀ
ഀ
June 04, 2008ഀ
ഀ
ഀ
ഀ
Boulder, CO, June 04, 2008 -- Sciona, Inc. (www.mycellf.com), a pioneer in the science of Personal Genetics for lifestyle and nutritional guidance, today announced its collaboration with the NTUA (National Technical University of Athens) to develop a new software platform named RE2, using Microsoft’s latest application platform and development tools. RE2 marries state-of-the-art technology with the burgeoning science of Personal Genetics, and expands exponentially the possibilities of the software applications. ഀ
ഀ
“This project is a prime example of the value of software in the Personal Genetics industry,” said Patrick Malone of Microsoft Hellas (Greece). “The teams from NTUA and Sciona skillfully combined our latest technologies, including Visual Studio 2008, .NET Framework 3.5 and the soon-to-be-released SQL Server 2008, to create a very scalable, customizable and secure software platform. Working with the new Microsoft Office document format, Open XML, they managed to present the processed results in a human-readable and understandable way, giving clear and actionable advice to their customers, based on their genetic profile.”ഀ
ഀ
Professor Dimitris Koutsouris, Director of Biomedical Engineering Laboratory of NTUA, said: “For the NTUA, the biggest reward is to witness Sciona’s scientists using our system, converting the accumulated knowledge in genetic research into comprehensive personalized advice for the individuals. This project is an example of Biomedical Engineering Science fulfilling its goals.” ഀ
ഀ
“Our laboratory has been using Microsoft’s tools and technologies for some years now, mainly because it provides us the best underlying layer of software infrastructure to build applications of the highest standards in a number of different critical aspects of today’s software: security, scalability, connectivity, usability, performance. Microsoft has helped us to embrace its latest technologies, and we are very proud that our work for this project was presented as a use case in its latest 2008 launch event,” said Professor Koutsouris.ഀ
ഀ
President and CEO of Sciona Peter Vitulli said, "The development of RE2 is truly a milestone. It increases the functionality of our proprietary Sciona Genostic Rules Engine to an extent never before possible, opening the way to greater integration of nutritional, biological and genetic information. Truly groundbreaking, it enriches the input parameters of Sciona's Lifestyle Questionnaire, giving rise to a greatly expanded range of biomedical and biophysical data that can now be input into our recommendations to individuals (e.g. cholesterol levels, blood pressure etc), making them infinitely more effective and useful in making lifestyle decisions. In addition, we will be able to easily add new genes and information to the RE2 logic as the rapidly evolving scientific developments in gene research occur." ഀ
ഀ
mycellf™ DNA Personalized Genetics Analysis Kits ഀ
The mycellf™ DNA Personalized Genetics Analysis Kits assist in structuring optimal nutritional and fitness programs to achieve overall wellness. By allowing individuals to specifically address factors unique to them based on their personal genetic makeup, it offers new insights into how their genetic makeup affects metabolism, diet, nutritional processing and lifestyle. According to Vitulli, RE2 will increase both the breadth and the overall accuracy of such recommendations to individuals, leading to greater health and well-being. ഀ
ഀ
mycellf™ DNA Personalized Genetics Analysis Kits instruct individuals in using a special cotton swab to collect cells from the inside of the cheek. The individual then completes a lifestyle questionnaire about his or her diet and exercise habits. The swab and completed questionnaire are sent to Sciona, where the individual’s DNA is analyzed on the basis of 27 specific genes which have been proven in numerous studies to respond to changes in nutrition, diet, exercise and lifestyle. The outcome is a completely personalized Action Plan for the individual.ഀ
ഀ
The sophisticated, confidential mycellf™ DNA Personalized Genetics analysis will now enjoy greatly enhanced functionality thanks to the RE2 software platform, the collaborative brainchild of Sciona, the Biomedical Engineering Laboratory of NTUA (National Technical University of Athens), and Microsoft’s state-of-the-art technology and software tools. ഀ
ഀ
Dr. Rosalynn Gill, Chief Science Officer and Co-Founder of Sciona commented, "Software is critical to our business because there are literally an infinite number of possible combinations of DNA and lifestyle questionnaire results. A major challenge for our business has been to identify the right software solutions that would allow us to grow with the science, so that as the science identifies more genes and more relevant information, we can produce more genetically personalized solutions. The RE2 software allows us to meet that challenge in a way never before possible, with hugely beneficial ramifications for consumers, namely a leading-edge scientific tool to assist individuals seeking optimal health in reaching their goals more effectively.”ഀ
ഀ
About Sciona, Inc. ഀ
Sciona is an international company founded in 2000 to provide personalized health and nutrition recommendations based on an individual’s diet, lifestyle and unique genetic profile. Sciona has created a powerful set of tools utilizing their proprietary Genostic Rules Engine™ which allows consumers to harness the scientific information uncovered in the landmark Human Genome Project. For more information, visit www.mycellf.com.ഀ
Media Contact: Jan Strode at 619-890-4040 or janstrode@aol.comഀ
ഀ
Product and service names mentioned herein are the trademarks of their respective owners.ഀ
ഀ
ഀ
October 22, 2007 ഀ
ഀ
ഀ
October 22, 2007, Boulder, Co.—Sciona, Inc., a leader in the science of nutrigenetics,ഀ
today announced the results of a pivotal study published by Nutrition Journal, whichഀ
demonstrates substantial advances in long term weight management and blood glucoseഀ
levels as a result of personalizing patients’ diets based on their genetic informationഀ
(nutrigenetics). In the first study to demonstrate the efficacy of applying nutrigeneticsഀ
to long term weight management, researchers found significant improvement in longഀ
term (more than 300 days) weight management for individuals whose nutrient requirementsഀ
were tailored to individual variations in the genes known to affect nutrient metabolismഀ
and transport. Each subject’s genetic profile was developed by the use of Sciona’sഀ
MyCellf Kit.ഀ
ഀ
ഀ
The comprehensive 3 year study examined 93 individuals with a history of weightഀ
loss failures. In an effort to answer whether the application of genetic informationഀ
could improve sustained weight management, one test group was genetically screenedഀ
for (24) separate variants in (19) individual genes specifically know to be relatedഀ
to metabolism. A second control group did not receive the genetic screening. Theഀ
groups were matched on characteristics such as age, gender, frequency of clinicalഀ
visits and Body Mass Index (BMI), during their initial clinical visit. After monitoringഀ
patients between the fixed ranges of 100 – 300 days, the BMI and the fasting bloodഀ
glucose levels were compared and contrasted within the test population.ഀ
ഀ
ഀ
Results conclusively showed that after 300 days, individuals in the genetic testingഀ
group were more likely to have maintained weight reduction and reduced glucose levelsഀ
than those of the control group, which had not been genetically screened. In theഀ
final analysis, 73% of those in the nutrigenetic group maintained weight reductionഀ
compared to only 32% of those in the control group. Among patients with a fastingഀ
blood glucose of greater than 100 mg/dl, 57% of the nutrigenetic group, comparedഀ
to only 25% of the control group had levels reduced to less that 100 mg/dl afterഀ
more than 90 days of weight management therapy. These results reflected a returnഀ
to normal blood glucose levels from pre-diabetic levels in the nutrigenetic group,ഀ
based on a genetically tailored diet and exercise program.ഀ
ഀ
ഀ
Sciona’s Chief Science Officer, Dr. Rosalynn Gill stated, “We are delighted withഀ
the results of this study given the global health problems associated with clinicalഀ
obesity and diabetes.” Dr. Gill went on to note that according to the US Departmentഀ
of Health and Human Services, the total cost of obesity, including those illnessesഀ
associated with obesity such as type II diabetes, coronary heart disease, and hypertensionഀ
in the year 2000 was approximately $117 billion dollars. Sciona’s CEO, Peter Vitulli,ഀ
stated, “Sciona’s Mycellf genetic testing kit allows an individual to learn howഀ
to personalize their nutrition and lifestyle to match their genes, which gives themഀ
a revolutionary gene-based road map to better health and a longer life.” Study coordinator,ഀ
Dr. Ioannis Arkadianos, stated, “The results of this clinical study featuring theഀ
application of nutrigenetics clearly demonstrates that using genetic informationഀ
is critical in helping people optimize their health. As a clinician, it is gratifyingഀ
to be able to apply the information regarding an individual’s inherited geneticഀ
code to help us to understand how each person’s body works. We finally have theഀ
tools that enable health care professionals such as myself to determine which nutritionഀ
and exercise protocols will get results and what nutrigenetic interventions willഀ
promote longevity. Just like fingerprints, no two individuals are the same and soഀ
we are now able to personalize your health based on your DNA.” ഀ
ഀ
ഀ
Summary
ഀ
Tailoring a weight loss program to individuals’ unique genetic profiles, even in a group withഀ
a history of prior weight loss failures, resulted in significant improvements inഀ
better compliance, greater motivation, and improved effectiveness when measuredഀ
by weight reduction, BMI, and glucose levels, in a long term study, over 300 days.ഀ
ഀ
ഀ
About The Study
ഀ
Patients with a history of unsuccessful attempts at weight lossഀ
attending a weight management clinic in Athens, Greece were offered a nutrigeneticഀ
test screening 24 variations in 19 genes involved in metabolism. The case historiesഀ
of 50 "nutrigenetic" patients were compared to those of 43 patients in the non-testedഀ
group attending the same clinic. All patients followed a traditional weight managementഀ
program involving a low glycemic index Mediterranean diet, recommended exerciseഀ
routines and regular follow-up visits in the clinic. The dietary program of theഀ
patients in the nutrigenetic group was modified from the standard diet based onഀ
the genetic results of each patient. The patients participating in the study wereഀ
blinded to the clinicians. After 300 days, the patients following the nutrigeneticallyഀ
tailored diet and exercise programs demonstrated better long-term BMI reductionഀ
and improvements in blood fasting glucose. Key contributors to the study includedഀ
the Twin Research Unit, King’s College London, UK and the Biomedical Engineeringഀ
Laboratory, National Technical University of Athens, Greece. ഀ
ഀ
ഀ
About Sciona, Inc.
ഀ
Sciona, an international company founded in 2000 to provide personalized healthഀ
and nutrition recommendations based on an individual’s diet, lifestyle and uniqueഀ
genetic profile, has created a powerful set of tools utilizing their proprietaryഀ
Rules Engine which allows consumers to harness the scientific information uncoveredഀ
in the landmark Human Genome Project. For more information, visit Sciona, Inc. atഀ
www.Sciona.com, or the Mycellf product website at www.Mycellf.com. Media contactഀ
Jan Strode 619.890.4040 or janstrode@aol.com.ഀ
ഀ
ഀ
March 13, 2007 ഀ
ഀ
ഀ
BOULDER, Colo., March 13 /PRNewswire/ -- Genetic Technologies Limited ഀ
(Nasdaq: GENE) (ASX: GTG) is pleased to report it has granted a license to its non-coding DNA patents to Sciona, based in Boulder, Colorado, USA.
ഀ
The license runs for nine years and is the first step in a progressive co-operation between GTG and Sciona in relation to the emerging lifestyle and life-extension markets.
ഀ
Sciona is a leading provider in the USA of personalized genetic tests which focus primarily on lifestyle and nutritional adjustments to enhance health and longevity. This is supported by a unique form of nonmedical, lifestyle counseling based on an individual's diet, exercise, lifestyle history and genetic profile.
ഀ
Sciona Chief Executive Officer Peter Vitulli welcomed the granting of the non-coding license and commented, "Sciona is excited to be working with GTG; their intellectual property will allow us to expand our product offerings and our research endeavors, and having access to their world class laboratory facilities will further our expansion in the Pacific Rim area. GTG's non-coding DNA patents, together with our business model patent, will provide us with the ability to develop and explore exciting and new commercial opportunities in the field of Nutrigenomics."
ഀ
GTG will be granted the right to market the Sciona range of products in the Asia-Pacific region, and to serve as a genotyping center for Sciona products at the GTG headquarters laboratory in Melbourne, Australia.
ഀ
Genetic Technologies' Chief Executive Officer, Dr. Mervyn Jacobson, said as the leading Asia-Pacific testing laboratory, GTG would be well placed to take advantage of the growing personalized genetic testing market.
ഀ
"There is growing consumer interest within the Asia Pacific region for personalized genetic tests. Our regional testing services will allow consumers to get their results much faster than sending samples to the other side of the world."
ഀ
The Sciona agreement follows a similar license granted by GTG in December 2006, to GENOSENSE, who also service the lifestyle and anti-aging markets, from a base in Vienna, Austria.
ഀ
GTG and Sciona have also agreed to work together on joint licensing and enforcement of the GTG non-coding DNA patents as well as the Sciona Business Model patent, granted May 30, 2006 in the USA. Sciona's patent covers the use of computer-based algorhythms to analyze genetic variations in order to provide personalized lifestyle advice.
ഀ
ABOUT GENETIC TECHNOLOGIES:
ഀ
Genetic Technologies is a leading Australian life science company, specializing in the fields of genetics and genomics. The company's methods and processes through which non-coding DNA can be analyzed and applied have been patented in 24 countries and form the basis of worldwide licensing activities.
ഀ
ABOUT SCIONA, INC.:
ഀ
Sciona, based in Boulder, Colorado, sells patented, personalized, genetic tests and offers a unique non-medical, lifestyle counseling based on an individual's diet, exercise and lifestyle history and a confidential genetic screening. By supplying this information direct to consumers through a detailed report, Sciona is able to guarantee complete privacy and confidentiality to the customer and total individual control of genetic information. The Sciona tests focus on lifestyle and nutritional adjustments to enhance health and longevity and do not provide specific information about disease state or genetic predisposition. The company's products are offered through direct sales, the internet and select retail outlets. For more information, visit http://www.sciona.com.
ഀ
ഀ
ഀ
ഀ