Interleukin Genetics hopes to receive and process patient samples collected with the new test in its laboratory from the beginning of next year. (Photo courtesy of Interleukin Genetics)

2013-12-6 | News Americas

WALTHAM, Mass., USA: Interleukin Genetics, a U.S. company that develops and markets a line of genetic tests, has announced the launch of PerioPredict, the company's next-generation version of its PST test, a genetic test for periodontal disease susceptibility. The company hopes that the new product will help dental professionals identify individuals with a higher risk of periodontal disease.

According to Interleukin Genetics, PerioPredict can predict a patient's susceptibility to severe periodontal disease by measuring variations in genes for interleukin-1, a key mediator of inflammation. The test's improved sample-collection device uses a simple cheek swab. Moreover, the new test utilizes an expansion of previous genetic markers that now cover all major ethnic groups, including Hispanic, African-American and Asian, in addition to Caucasian. 

The test can be performed chairside by a dental professional during a routine visit in less than a minute. The samples are then sent to the Interleukin Genetics laboratory for analysis. The test results are returned to the dentist in about two weeks, according to the company. 

The test will become available in January 2014. It is sold solely through Interleukin Genetics. The PST test, which was the first genetic test to identify an individual's risk of developing periodontal disease when it was introduced in 1997, is no longer available, the company stated.