Premaitha Health launches Workflow Manager system for the IONA® test to support clinical laboratory customers

Premaitha Health PLC (AIM: NIPT, “Premaitha” or the “Company”), developer of the IONA® test, the first CE-marked non-invasive prenatal (NIPT) in vitro diagnostic kit, has launched a bespoke information management system to support the Company’s global clinical laboratory customers with a paperless data tracking solution.

The Premaitha Workflow Manager software interfaces with all instruments in the IONA® test’s workflow across every stage of the process, including DNA extraction, library preparation, sequencing chip preparation, sequencing, and analysis. It provides a simple way to comprehensively track clinical sample and patient data, removing the need for labour-intensive manual monitoring.

The software has been developed in partnership with Sagentia, a leading global science, product and technology development company who developed the software based on the specific needs of clinical laboratories currently using the IONA® test. The system is available to new and existing in-house customers using the IONA® test automated workflow.

One customer already using the Premaitha Workflow Manager is St George’s University Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, London, the UK’s first Centre of Excellence for non-invasive prenatal screening. St George’s offer pregnant women in their region the “SAFE test” which is powered by the IONA® test.

Mr John Short, Technical and R&D Manager at St George’s NHS Hospital Trust said: “At St. George’s University Hospital NHS Foundation Trust we have established the ‘SAFE test’ supported by Premaitha. We are fortuitous to be the first site to deploy the Premaitha Workflow Manager system as we have found it greatly enhances the robustness and traceability of the service whilst reducing operator time.

“The workflow manager has streamlined the laboratory process by offering a near paperless protocol enabling us to provide a rapid five-day reporting time. Overall we are very impressed with this well thought out, easy to use and intelligent IT system, which in combination with the IONA® assay, places the SAFE test at the forefront of molecular screening services.”

Paul Wilkins, Senior Vice President of Medical at Sagentia, said: “The IONA® test already has tremendous clinical utility but the process simplification provided by the Premaitha Workflow Manager software should make a significant difference to laboratories, greatly enhancing market adoption.”

The IONA® test estimates the risk of a fetus having Down’s syndrome or other serious genetic diseases. It has a higher detection rate and lower false positive rate than existing screening tests, giving pregnant women, their families and doctors greater confidence in the result and reducing the need for unnecessary invasive follow-up tests and the associated anxiety and stress. The IONA® test is a complete diagnostic system that is simple and standardized, enabling Premaitha’s clinical laboratory customers to perform the test in their own facilities.

For more information please contact:

Premaitha Health PLC

Dr Stephen Little, Chief Executive Officer

Jo Cross, Head of Marketing ([email protected])

Tel: +44 (0) 161 667 6865

Email: [email protected]

Science Group plc

Charlotte Kelley, Marketing Communications Manager

Email: [email protected]

Tel: +44 (0) 1223 875585

Instinctif Partners (Media)

Melanie Toyne Sewell / Jen Lewis / Emma Barlow

Email: [email protected]

Tel: +44 (0) 207 457 2020

About Premaitha Health

Premaitha is an innovative molecular diagnostics company employing the latest advances in DNA analysis technology to develop tests for non-invasive prenatal screening (NIPT) and other applications. Premaitha’s flagship product, the IONA® test is the first non-invasive in vitro diagnostic product for prenatal screening enabling clinical laboratories to offer CE-marked NIPT in-house for the first time.  

The IONA® test estimates the risk of a fetus having Down’s syndrome or other serious genetic diseases. The IONA® test has a higher detection rate and lower false positive rate than existing screening tests, giving pregnant women, their families and their doctors greater confidence in the result and reducing the need for unnecessary invasive follow-up tests and the associated anxiety and stress. The IONA® test is a complete diagnostic system that is simple and standardized, enabling Premaitha’s clinical laboratory customers to perform the test in their own facilities. This supports Premaitha’s strategy of accelerating the broad dissemination of NIPT tests to ensure that their benefits are available to pregnant women everywhere.  

Premaitha is listed on the London Stock Exchange (AIM). Its R&D, manufacturing, and commercial operation is located at Manchester Science Park, UK. For further information please visit www.premaitha.com or email [email protected]

About Sagentia

Sagentia is a global science, product and technology development company. Our mission is to help companies maximize the value of their investments in R&D. We partner with clients in the consumer, industrial, medical and oil & gas sectors to help them understand the technology and market landscape, decide their future strategy, solve the complex science and technology challenges and deliver commercially successful products.

Sagentia employs over 150 scientists, engineers, and market experts and is part of Science Group, with headquarters in Cambridge, UK, and offices in London, Guildford, Boston, Houston and Dubai.

For further information visit www.sagentiainnovation.com or email [email protected].