IQuity's IQIsolate Technology Confirms Hard-to-Diagnose Autoimmune Disease in only 7 days

NASHVILLE, Tenn., Oct. 26, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- IQuity, a specialty diagnostics technology company, announced that its technology, IQIsolate^®, can detect the presence or absence of autoimmune and related conditions at the earliest sign of symptoms. By leveraging machine learning to analyze RNA expression data from patient blood samples, our academic research has produced results of greater than 90 percent accuracy across three medical specialties: neurology, gastroenterology and rheumatology. When commercialized, clinical laboratory results will be returned to providers in only seven days. IQuity believes its technology will shorten the diagnostic process of complicated autoimmune diseases and related conditions. And, within a medical discipline, the technology can distinguish between diseases that present with similar symptoms, such as Crohn's and ulcerative colitis in the gastroenterology panel.   

"In addition to giving providers a new tool to diagnose earlier, providers tell us that the ability to rule in or rule out a suspected diagnosis is equally important because it allows them to move forward with treatment or initiate additional diagnostic work-up," said Chase Spurlock, PhD, CEO of IQuity.

Spurlock explained that currently an autoimmune diagnosis can take several months or even several years using multiple diagnostic tools and by eliminating other diseases that exhibit similar symptoms. "Using IQuity's blood-based technology, physicians receive test results that they can use to help their patients in as little as one week," Spurlock emphasized.

Dr. Spurlock added that IQuity is committed to full transparency regarding its science. The significant grant funding this technology has received represents peer-reviewed oversight, and the peer-reviewed research publications and scientific presentations are available on IQuity's website where providers, scientific collaborators and consumers have complete access to this information.

IQIsolate^® Technology Platform
IQIsolate was developed at Vanderbilt University Medical Center and supported by over $4 million in funding from the National Institutes of Health.

For its initial neurological panel, which the company expects to launch in the spring of 2017, IQuity's research revealed that MS patients exhibit a distinct RNA expression pattern in their blood that distinguishes them from patients with other neurological disorders. The IQIsolate platform analyzes the gene expression profile found in a patient's blood sample and matches each profile against healthy and sick patient profiles identified through the company's research.

The IQIsolate technology platform will power new tests that may make it possible for providers to confirm other suspected autoimmune diagnoses in as little as one week. In addition to MS (and its neurological panel), the company will also be working to commercialize new test panels focusing on gastroenterology and rheumatology in 2017.

These test panels will be designed to support providers in earlier diagnosis for other challenging autoimmune diseases and related conditions, such as:

• Crohn's Disease
• IBS/IBD
• Ulcerative Colitis
• Fibromyalgia
• Lupus
• Rheumatoid Arthritis

About IQuity
IQuity is a specialty diagnostic technology company leveraging machine learning methods to deliver breakthrough RNA analytics for autoimmune disease and related conditions across three medical disciplines: neurology, gastroenterology and rheumatology. IQuity's innovative IQIsolate® technology identifies the presence or absence of disease by analyzing RNA expression data from a blood sample using the Company's proprietary suite of algorithms.  Accuracy of IQIsolate technology exceeds 90%, offers providers the ability to shorten the diagnostic process and can be administered at the earliest onset of symptoms. IQuity will perform the tests in its CLIA-certified laboratory and report the result to providers in as little as 7 days.

Julie A. Johnson
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Kathy Gill 
Chief Marketing Officer
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SOURCE IQuity