June 2017

90 APAC / June 2017 , 1701AP19 The ‘Script of Life’ GemVCare® (Gem stands for Genetic Evaluation &Management®) is the first Hong Kong based genetic testing company that specialises in diabetes. GemVCare® was founded in 2014 by local academics, medical doctors specialised in diabetes and scientists, supported by the Technology Start-up Support Scheme for Universities (TSSSU) through the Hong Kong Government Innovation and Technology Committee. We are also a member company of the Incu-Bio Programme of the Hong Kong Science and Technology Park. We are based in the Hong Kong Science Park, supported by a world-class infrastructure with a network of partners to serve the needs of our clients. Our Gemomic® Technology (which combines biomedical and information technology), is based on decades of university research and validated by over ten thousand clinical cases in our local population. This valuable research can be used to predict and prevent diabetes, plus offer personalised care to those with or at risk of diabetes. GemVCare® partners with a network of health care professionals who use the personal information result to empower the subjects to manage and reduce their health risks through lifestyle changes, early use of drugs and by proactively seeking personalised treatment. Genes & diabetes Our genetic codes are our ‘script of life’ and resemble a huge dictionary containing billions of codes, like the design of a car which consists of many different parts that collectively function to make the car move. These codes come from mother and father and reshuffle during mating to form the script of their offspring which determine their appearances, bodily function, disease traits etc. High-risk signals already exist in your body. Among them, your genes have already predetermined your risk of getting the disease since you were born. Diabetes and its complications are preventable and treatable. The earlier you understand your risk, the earlier you can act to prevent diabetes and its complications. Existing problems Typical symptoms of diabetes include thirst, tiredness, frequent urination, easy skin infection, unexplained weight loss especially in overweight/obese subjects. However, diabetes is often asymptomatic or symptoms mixed up with other diseases. Due to the silent nature of diabetes and low awareness of risk factors, many people who have or are at risk of having diabetes are not diagnosed, treated or controlled. Thus, many people are diagnosed with diabetes only when they present with life- threatening complications such as heart disease, stroke, kidney failure, foot ulcer, due to delayed diagnosis or suboptimal treatment. Blood glucose will only alarm you when your body has already encountered problems. Therefore, blood glucose test alone is not an effective way to predict diabetes. Our solutions GEMOMIC® TECHNOLOGY Firstly, GemVCare® utilises university-patented technology to assess your own genes. Secondly, together with other risk factors and your current health condition, you can calculate your risk index of developing diabetes or its complications (cardiovascular disease and kidney disease). DForesee™ This panel of tests estimates a probability for having diabetes based on personal, genetic and modifiable risk factors. DForesee™ is suitable for anyone without diabetes, especially for the below high-risk persons: • Have a family history of diabetes; • Have hypertension or high blood lipids; • Have heart disease or had a stroke before; • Middle-aged persons; • Have had Gestational diabetes mellitus or have given birth to infants weighed 4kg or above; • Obesity; • Lack of exercise and; • Smoking. We also provide a comprehensive health assessment – DForesee Enlighten™, which not only includes your genetic test result, but also provides a personalised recommendation and follow-up by healthcare professionals. DProtect™ This panel of tests calculates a 5-year probability, that predicts the future risk of developing cardiovascular-renal complications. DProtect™ is suitable for the following diabetes patients: • Who have not had any complications yet; • Who have early stage of cardiovascular or kidney complications and; • Who have complications other than cardiovascular or kidney diseases. Apart from genetic tests related to diabetes, we also provide other diabetic biochemical tests to check for beta cell sufficiency and screen for monogenic diabetes. You may refer to our professional information page on our website for details of each test. You can order DForesee Enlighten™ from MyGemCode (www.mygemcode.com) . DForesee™ and DProtect™ are only available on request from our service providers (http:// gemvcare.com/our-solution/ service-providers/). We provide tests related to diabetes including tests measuring beta cell sufficiency (C-peptide, Anti-GAD, Anti-IA2), screening for monogenetic diabetes as well as two genetic tests predicting probability of having diabetes and development of diabetes related complications. Our test is simple and safe. Only trace amount of buccal cells (Buccal swab or spit kit) or blood (1-2mL) is needed. No prior procedures e.g. fasting or stop medication is required. A simple questionnaire about patients’ non-modifiable (e.g. age and sex) and modifiable risk factors (e.g. smoking and body weight) will need to be completed for analysis for providing individualised recommendations.