Female physician listens to senior patient's heart
Heath themes. Female physician listens to senior patient's heart

Targeted genetic sequencing company Tesis Biosciences announced it has inked an agreement with Frontier Management, one of the largest senior living providers in the U.S., to be the exclusive provider of pharmacogenetic testing services as part of the pharmacy management program for Frontier’s residents.

Tesis will leverage its targeted genetic sequencing and comprehensive genetic data collection platform to create proprietary, narrowly focused diagnostics panels, to help drive better drug efficacy, utilization, diagnostics, and therapeutics for the Frontier population.

“The main premise behind this program is to not only more accurately synchronize patients with the proper medications, but also to look at their genetic predisposition for metabolizing certain drugs should they need more advanced treatment such as for cancers or neurogenic type conditions,” said Tesis CEO Ron King in a press release. “This is critical because 85% of this population has two or more chronic conditions and are already on multiple medications.”

Included in the pharmacogenetic testing program, the two companies will also conduct a study to determine how effectively pharmacogenetic testing can help predict and prevent falls among the residents at Frontier’s 130 independent living, assisted living, and memory care facilities spread across 21 states. Falling episodes, which are common among the senior population, are often connected to misalignment of medications. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, non-fatal falls account for $50 billion in medical expenses, while $754 million is spent related to fatal falls each year.

“Tesis Biosciences’ advanced pharmacogenomics technology will help our residents better manage their health and medications, while will enable them to lead higher-quality lives,” said Frontier president and CEO Greg Roderick. “We are excited to provide these services to our communities.”

According to Tesis, the company offers healthcare providers and physicians access to its genetic testing services to help create personalized care plans for treating chronic diseases including chronic conditions such as heart disease, cancer, diabetes, lung disease and Alzheimer’s disease, which are both among the leading causes of death in the U.S. and make up the lion’s share of medical costs.

In September, the company launched a program with Georgia-based accountable care organization Premier Health, to provide its 200 member providers with molecular and next-generation sequencing (NGS) testing services for detecting chronic and hereditary conditions in patients. The deal, which initially will see testing services provided by Tesis’ facility in Lafayette, CO., includes a provision for a joint venture between the two companies to bring the testing capabilities to Premier sites across the state.

“Premier Health members already have demonstrated their drive to work together on improving population health in the communities they serve,” said King last September when the deal was announced. “We’re augmenting their clinical excellence and desire to collaborate by providing them with a powerful tool in our genetic testing that enhances their ability to practice preventative medicine.”

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