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July 7, 2014

Natera Launches Carrier Screening under Horizon™ Brand in Partnership with Mount Sinai Genetic Testing Laboratory

Natera, Inc. and the Mount Sinai Genetic Testing Laboratory have entered into a partnership to offer an expanded Horizon™ genetic carrier screening test for prospective families. Genetic carrier screening is performed to determine whether an individual is a carrier for certain recessive genetic disorders, and is often used by families who are pregnant or trying to conceive. Natera will offer the Horizon test to its OBGYN customers as part of its growing women’s health business.

“Our partnership with Mount Sinai enables us to broaden the Horizon carrier screen to include 38 disorders, including an expanded panel designed specifically for Ashkenazi Jewish families,” said Matthew Rabinowitz, Ph.D., chief executive officer of Natera. “This is an important addition to Natera’s product offering, as we are committed to expanding the breadth of genetic testing services that Natera delivers on a direct basis to our growing network of women’s healthcare providers.”

The Horizon™ multi-disease genetic carrier screen provides thorough, accurate results for certain genetic disorders, including cystic fibrosis, spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) and Tay-Sachs disease. The expanded Horizon test increases detection rates for spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) over previous testing methods, refines risks for Fragile X syndrome, and offers expanded screening for the Ashkenazi Jewish population.

“It is exciting to see the evolution of the Ashkenazi Carrier Screening panel through the years, and have the ability to provide individuals with much more information than was previously available regarding their risk of having a child affected with a devastating genetic disease,” said Lisa Edelmann, Ph.D., director, Mount Sinai Genetic Testing Laboratory. “We are optimistic that this partnership will reach, and be able to help a greater number of families and individuals who are seeking to obtain knowledge regarding their reproductive risks.

The Mount Sinai Genetic Testing Laboratory, part of the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, offers a comprehensive set of screening options for more than 100 disorders. The lab has been a leader in carrier screening for Ashkenazi Jewish genetic disorders since 1997.

About Natera 
Natera is a genetic testing company that designs targeted assays to analyze tiny quantities of DNA. The mission of the company is to help families diagnose and manage genetic disease. In pursuit of that mission, Natera operates a CAP-accredited laboratory certified under the Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments (CLIA) in San Carlos, Calif., currently offering a host of preconception and prenatal genetic testing services primarily to OBGYN physicians and in-vitro fertilization centers. In 2013, the company launched Panorama™, a safe, simple test for pregnant women that screens for the most common chromosomal anomalies in a fetus as early as nine weeks of gestation. Tests developed by Natera have not been cleared or approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). For more information, visit www.natera.com.

About the Mount Sinai Health System

The Mount Sinai Health System is an integrated health system committed to providing distinguished care, conducting transformative research, and advancing biomedical education. Structured around seven member hospital campuses and a single medical school, the Health System has an extensive ambulatory network and a range of inpatient and outpatient services—from community-based facilities to tertiary and quaternary care.

The System includes approximately 6,600 primary and specialty care physicians, 12-minority-owned free-standing ambulatory surgery centers, over 45 ambulatory practices throughout the five boroughs of New York City, Westchester, and Long Island, as well as 31 affiliated community health centers. Physicians are affiliated with the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, which is ranked among the top 20 medical schools both in National Institutes of Health funding and by U.S. News & World Report.

Contacts
GOLD PR for Natera
Shari Gold or Adrienne Turner
714-251-0375, 949-922-0801
sgold@goldpr.com, aturner@goldpr.com

Natera, Inc.
Mike Hromadik, 858-442-2215 
mhromadik@natera.com

Mount Sinai Health System 
Glenn Farrell, 650-690-1598
glenn.farrell@mssm.edu

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