Inagene Diagnostics Inc. and Granville Biomedical Inc. team up to provide locally-produced pharmacogenetic testing kits to Canadians

TORONTO, Nov. 01, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Canadian pharmacogenetic (PGx) testing provider, Inagene Diagnostics Inc., has partnered with fellow Canadian health-tech company, Granville Biomedical Inc., to add Canadian researched and developed medical grade swabs to its testing kits, bringing the best of locally manufactured medical products to Canadians.

Inagene Diagnostics Inc.’s PGx test is conducted using an oral cheek (buccal) swab that analyzes a person’s DNA to determine which medications are most compatible for the individual according to their genetic profile. Granville Biomedical Inc., a company specializing in the design of novel medical devices, recently expanded their business to include the research and development of medical grade swabs following the Canadian government’s call at the onset of the pandemic for assistance to produce Made in Canada COVID-19 testing supplies. The funding opportunities that followed, allowed Granville to quickly redirect their efforts from women’s health to the production of Class 1, Canadian-made medical devices. The development of Granville Swab™ also resulted in the creation of a robust domestic supply chain in Canada that Canadian organizations, such as Inagene, can leverage. To align with their Toronto-based lab location, Inagene is committed to promoting Made in Canada quality by continuing to improve their testing kits, with a goal to make the kit a 100% Canadian product by 2022.

“Our Granville team is very inspired by the work that Inagene Diagnostics is doing within the pharmacogenetic testing space, and we are honoured to engage in this collaboration for the purpose of advancing Canadian healthcare,” said Christine Goudie, CEO of Granville Biomedical. “This partnership will foster our domestic supply chain as well as encourage and promote future made-in-Canada healthcare supplies.”

Granville Biomedical is currently working on the development and validation of a uniquely designed oral swab for Inagene to include in their genetic testing kits. The focus of the novel swab is to ensure specimen collection efficacy comparable to existing market leading buccal swabs. The swab will be validated through Health Canada and their associated Class 1 regulatory requirements.

Inagene Diagnostics Inc. was founded to help people with pain and mental health conditions, find more effective treatment, faster. Research shows that 98% of Canadians carry genetic variants that can impact a person’s response to various medications. PGx testing provides valuable insights that allow patients to determine which medication is predicted to work most effectively for them, with the least side effects.

“PGx testing can have a life-changing impact on those living with chronic illnesses,” says Nancy White, CEO of Inagene Diagnostics Inc. “We’re proud to have such a strong innovation partner in the Canadian medical products space, who shares our passion for helping people, to bring the best possible product to Canadians, and support the Canadian healthcare ecosystem.”

About Inagene Diagnostics Inc.
Inagene™ Diagnostics Inc. is a CLIA accredited Canadian pharmacogenetic testing company located in Toronto. Inagene’s Personalized Insights™ tests focus on providing comprehensive and reliable genetic tests to guide drug selection and treatment. Learn more at www.inagene.com

​​About Granville Biomedical
Granville Biomedical Inc. is a Canadian health-tech company specializing in the design of innovative medical devices and anatomical teaching tools to enhance healthcare training and delivery. Hailing from St. John’s, the company’s Granville Swab™ launched in 2020 for Covid-19 testing purposes, followed by the research and development of a novel oral buccal swab. Learn more at www.granvillebiomedical.ca and www.granvilleswab.ca.

Note to Editors:
For further information, please contact:
Neelam Bance Parsons, Inagene Diagnostics
[email protected]