The Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office has identified human remains that were found nearly 50 years ago with the help of genealogy testing.
During a news conference Thursday, Detective Bill Springer announced that the remains found in June of 1974 belong to 15-year-old Susan Gale Poole who went missing in Broward County just before Christmas in 1972.
Poole’s remains were identified following genealogy testing by Othram Labs, a private forensic laboratory that utilizes genome sequencing to build DNA profiles, according to Springer.
Late last year, Othram Labs contacted the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office about performing genealogy testing on cold cases.
“It was decided by the sheriff’s office and my supervisors that we would send up the unknown remains of the girl from 1974,” Springer said. “Thanks to Othram, they were able to identify her and build a profile.”
Scientists used that DNA profile to identify Poole’s mother and siblings. Poole’s mother is still alive and in her 90s.
Why your DNA may be solving cold cases
Poole was born on February 12, 1957. At the time of her disappearance, Poole lived with her family at a Fort Lauderdale trailer park, according to the PBSO. Poole was also staying at a friend’s apartment in Wilton Manors at the time.
Springer says Poole’s skeletal remains were found tied up in the mangroves of an area formerly known as “Burnt Bridges” along A1A in Palm Beach County.
AUSTIN, Texas, April 1, 2022 /PRNewswire/ — Natera, Inc. (NASDAQ: NTRA), a global leader in cell-free DNA (cfDNA) testing, announced the results of a study1 to examine both total and donor-derived cell-free DNA (dd-cfDNA) in kidney transplant recipients hospitalized with COVID-19 using its Prospera™ test to assess disease severity and risk of rejection.
The study, published in Transplantation Proceedings, used the Prospera test to examine the relationship between total cfDNA and dd-cfDNA fraction when monitoring for rejection. The results indicate that high levels of total cfDNA, as can occur due to COVID-19 infection, result in a lower dd-cfDNA donor fraction and could inadvertently mask rejection when using donor fraction alone. The Prospera test identified two patients in the cohort with elevated total cfDNA and biopsy-proven rejection that would have otherwise gone undetected by dd-cfDNA donor fraction alone.
“COVID-19 has presented unique challenges in monitoring and treating kidney transplant recipients and it’s clear that infection is one of the many factors that can impact cfDNA levels – and therefore a dd-cfDNA fraction,” said José Otto Reusing Jr., principal investigator and lead author of the study, at the University of São Paulo School of Medicine in Brazil. “The ability to test total cfDNA with Prospera is critical to establishing a more complete and thorough understanding of graft health with these patients.”
Natera incorporated total cfDNA into the Prospera test in 2021, based on previous studies2-4 that showed combining analysis of dd-cfDNA and total cfDNA improved performance when evaluating transplant rejection.
About the Prospera test
The Prospera test leverages Natera’s core single-nucleotide (SNP)-based massively multiplexed PCR (mmPCR) technology to identify allograft rejection non-invasively and with high precision and accuracy, without the need for prior donor or recipient genotyping. The test works by measuring the fraction of donor-derived cell-free DNA (dd-cfDNA,) and the total cfDNA in the recipient’s blood. It may be used by physicians considering the diagnosis of active rejection, helping to rule in or out this condition when evaluating the need for diagnostic testing or the results of an invasive biopsy. The Prospera test has been clinically and analytically validated for performance regardless of donor relatedness, rejection type, and clinical presentation. It has been developed and its performance characteristics determined by Natera, the CLIA-certified laboratory performing the test. The test has not been cleared or approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA). CAP accredited, ISO 13485 certified, and CLIA certified.
About Natera
Natera™ is a global leader in cell-free DNA testing, dedicated to oncology, women’s health, and organ health. We aim to make personalized genetic testing and diagnostics part of the standard of care to protect health and enable earlier, more targeted interventions that help lead to longer, healthier lives. Natera’s tests are validated by more than 100 peer-reviewed publications that demonstrate high accuracy. Natera operates ISO 13485-certified and CAP-accredited laboratories certified under the Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments (CLIA) in Austin, Texas and San Carlos, California. For more information, visit www.natera.com.
Forward-Looking Statements
All statements other than statements of historical facts contained in this press release are forward-looking statements and are not a representation that Natera’s plans, estimates, or expectations will be achieved. These forward-looking statements represent Natera’s expectations as of the date of this press release, and Natera disclaims any obligation to update the forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements are subject to known and unknown risks and uncertainties that may cause actual results to differ materially, including with respect to our efforts to develop and commercialize new product offerings, our ability to successfully increase demand for and grow revenues for our product offerings, whether the results of clinical or other studies will support the use of our product offerings, our expectations of the reliability, accuracy and performance of our screening tests, or of the benefits of our screening tests and product offerings to patients, providers and payers. Additional risks and uncertainties are discussed in greater detail in “Risk Factors” in Natera’s recent filings on Forms 10-K and 10-Q and in other filings Natera makes with the SEC from time to time. These documents are available at www.natera.com/investors and www.sec.gov.
Contacts
Investor Relations: Mike Brophy, CFO, Natera, Inc., 510-826-2350
Media: Kate Stabrawa, Communications, Natera, Inc., 720-318-4080 [email protected]
References
Reusing Jr JO, Yoo J, Desai A, et al. Association between total cell free DNA and SARS-CoV-2 in Kidney Transplant Patients: A Preliminary Study. Transplant. Proc. 2022. ISSN 0041-1345.
Halloran, et al. Manuscript in preparation, anticipated publication in 2022.
Bunnapradist S, Homkrailas P, Ahmed E, Fehringer G, Billings PR, Tabriziani H. Using both Fraction and Quantity of Donor-Derived Cell-Free DNA to Detect Kidney Allograft Rejection. J Am Soc Nephrol. 2021;32(10):2439-2441.
Bunnapradist S, Datta N, Schaenman J, et al. Extremely High Cell-free DNA Levels Observed in Renal Allograft Patient With SARS-CoV-2 Infection. Transplant Direct. 2021;7(5):e691.
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Advanced DNA testing and genome sequencing helped Las Vegas police crack the case of a 16-year-old girl who was found dead 42 years ago, investigators announced Monday.
Kim Bryant was reported missing on January 26, 1979, after she didn’t return home from school, the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department said in a news release.
Her body was found in a desert area on February 20, 1979, police said. Bryant had been sexually assaulted and DNA evidence from a suspect was recovered but police were unable to make an identification, Lt. Ray Spencer with the LVMPD homicide division said during a news conference Monday.
Police “investigated this case for years without being able to identify a suspect,” Spencer said noting multiple LVMPD detectives had worked to gather new leads.
DNA evidence from the case was sent to Othram, Inc., a Texas-based forensic sequencing laboratory, for testing and genealogical research following a financial donation from Las Vegas resident Justin Woo, police said.
“Ten days ago we were notified that the genological profile built by Othram labs, based on sperm recovered from the body of Kim Bryant at autopsy, revealed that Johnny Blake Peterson was the person that kidnapped, sexually assaulted and murdered Kim Bryant,” Spencer said at the news conference.
Peterson was a 19-year-old Las Vegas resident at the time of Bryant’s death. “He was never on the radar as a suspect for this murder,” Spencer said.
Peterson died in January 1993, police said.
Bryant’s father, Edward Elliott, thanked investigators for their work in a statement read by Spencer during the news conference. “Kim was a beautiful girl with a bright future, and it makes me happy that something is being done to help solve cases such as hers,” Elliott said in the statement.
Woo, whose financial donation made the testing possible, offered his condolences to Bryant’s family during the news conference. “We hope that we provided a little bit of closure for you,” he said.
THE WOODLANDS, Texas, Jan. 24, 2022 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ — Othram Inc., the leading forensic sequencing laboratory for law enforcement, is pleased to announce the appointment of industry veteran Andrew Singer as Chief Commercial Officer. Mr. Singer will lead efforts to expand Othram’s operations throughout North America, delivering on the company’s mission to enable justice for all victims and their families.
Mr. Singer joins Othram after a successful 14-year tenure at Bode Technology, most recently serving as the Vice President of Operations Sales and Global Marketing where he was responsible for applying DNA testing technology in novel ways to help law enforcement solve crimes. Over more than a decade, he substantially grew market share for the company, while becoming a thought leader in the forensic community.
“I am incredibly excited to join Othram and be a part of their mission to create a safer and more just world. Othram has demonstrated a commitment to providing best-in-class DNA testing capabilities while providing answers for previously ‘unsolvable’ crimes,” said Andrew Singer. “There are thousands of families that have been impacted by crime or the loss of a loved one and so many of them are still waiting for answers.”
Othram is the world’s only laboratory purpose-built to combine genome sequencing with advanced human identification applications. The laboratory, based in The Woodlands, Texas, is also the only facility in the United States or Canada offering end-to-end, in-house processing from forensic evidence to investigative leads. Over the last three years, this technology has helped law enforcement crack hundreds of cases at the local, state, and federal level, many of which had been unsolved for decades.
“Justice is a basic human right and Othram is developing the underlying infrastructure to deliver justice to all victims and their families.” said Othram CEO David Mittelman. “We are thrilled that Mr. Singer is joining us on this important mission.”
About Othram Inc.
Othram is the world’s first private DNA laboratory built specifically to apply the power of modern parallel sequencing to forensic evidence. Othram’s scientists are experts at recovery, enrichment, and analysis of human DNA from trace quantities of degraded or contaminated materials. Founded in 2018, and located in The Woodlands, Texas, our team works with academic researchers, forensic scientists, medical examiners, and law enforcement agencies to achieve results when other approaches fail. Follow Othram on Twitter or visit othram.com to learn how we can help you with your case. Visit dnasolves.com to learn how anyone can make a difference in helping solve the next cold case.
AUSTIN, Texas, Jan. 22, 2022 /PRNewswire/ — Natera, Inc. (NASDAQ: NTRA), a leader in personalized genetic testing and diagnostics, today announced new data recently presented on the clinical utility of Signatera, its personalized and tumor-informed molecular residual disease (MRD) test, at the American Society of Clinical Oncology’s 2022 Gastrointestinal Cancers Symposium (ASCO GI). The oral presentation included an updated analysis from the landmark CIRCULATE-Japan trial analyzing a cohort of colorectal cancer (CRC) patients.
More than 3,000 CRC patients are now enrolled in CIRCULATE-Japan, the largest prospective, multi-center, MRD-guided trial in CRC, using Signatera to monitor MRD status in patients with stage I-IV CRC up to 96 weeks post-surgery. The latest analysis of more than 1,000 patients from the observational GALAXY arm of the study highlighted three novel findings that were presented at the conference:
Signatera positivity is predictive of treatment benefit: patients who were MRD-positive at 4 weeks post-op benefited significantly from adjuvant chemotherapy (ACT), across all stages of disease.
Signatera-negative patients did not benefit from ACT: patients with high-risk stage II and stage III disease who were MRD-negative at 4 weeks post-op did not derive significant benefit from ACT (p-value of .63).
Signatera dynamics during ACT is predictive of treatment benefit: 68% of ACT-treated patients cumulatively cleared their ctDNA by week 24 and had significantly better outcomes relative to those who remained ctDNA-positive, with a hazard ratio of 15.8.
In addition, the single time point post-surgical sensitivity of Signatera in stage II and III CRC was 67.6%. This sensitivity analysis included over 5 times more cancer recurrences than previously reported in Reinert, et. al.1
“Definitive evidence has now been presented that personalized MRD testing can guide adjuvant treatment decisions, particularly for MRD-positive patients who clearly benefit from adjuvant chemotherapy,” said the CIRCULATE-Japan study’s principal investigator, Dr. Takayuki Yoshino, of the National Cancer Center Hospital East, Kashiwa, Chiba, Japan. “We see these results as an important step forward in establishing MRD-guided adjuvant therapy as the standard of care for colorectal cancer patients worldwide.”
“Current guidelines recommend combination chemotherapy for all patients with stage III CRC, yet it is known that up to 40% are cured by surgery alone. Our study demonstrates that MRD testing can help stratify and predict which patients are likely to benefit from systemic therapy,” said Alexey Aleshin, M.D., VP of oncology medical affairs at Natera. “We are extremely pleased with these groundbreaking results from CIRCULATE-Japan and are optimistic they may change practice guidelines.”
The full presentation, as shown at ASCO GI, is available here.
About Signatera
Signatera is a custom-built circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) test for treatment monitoring and molecular residual disease (MRD) assessment in patients previously diagnosed with cancer. The test is available for both clinical and research use, and has been granted three Breakthrough Device Designations by the FDA for multiple cancer types and indications. The Signatera test is personalized and tumor-informed, providing each individual with a customized blood test tailored to fit the unique signature of clonal mutations found in that individual’s tumor. This maximizes Signatera’s accuracy for detecting the presence or absence of residual disease in a blood sample, even at levels down to a single tumor molecule in a tube of blood. Signatera is intended to detect and assess how much cancer is left in the body, to identify recurrence earlier and to help optimize treatment decisions.
About Natera
Natera™ is a global leader in cell-free DNA testing, dedicated to oncology, women’s health, and organ health. Our aim is to make personalized genetic testing and diagnostics part of the standard of care to protect health and enable earlier and more targeted interventions that help lead to longer, healthier lives. Natera’s tests are validated by more than 100 peer-reviewed publications that demonstrate high accuracy. Natera operates ISO 13485-certified and CAP-accredited laboratories certified under the Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments (CLIA) in Austin, Texas and San Carlos, California. For more information, visit www.natera.com.
Forward-Looking Statements
All statements other than statements of historical facts contained in this press release are forward-looking statements and are not a representation that Natera’s plans, estimates, or expectations will be achieved. These forward-looking statements represent Natera’s expectations as of the date of this press release, and Natera disclaims any obligation to update the forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements are subject to known and unknown risks and uncertainties that may cause actual results to differ materially, including with respect to our efforts to develop and commercialize new product offerings, whether the results of clinical or other studies will support the use of our product offerings, the impact of results of such studies, our expectations of the reliability, accuracy and performance of our tests, or of the benefits of our tests and product offerings to patients, providers and payers Additional risks and uncertainties are discussed in greater detail in “Risk Factors” in Natera’s recent filings on Forms 10-K and 10-Q and in other filings Natera makes with the SEC from time to time. These documents are available at www.natera.com/investors and www.sec.gov.
Contacts
Investor Relations: Mike Brophy, CFO, Natera, Inc., 510-826-2350
Media: Kate Stabrawa, Communications, Natera, Inc., [email protected]
References
Reinert T, Henriksen TV, Christensen E, et al. Analysis of plasma cell-free DNA by ultradeep sequencing in patients with stages I to III colorectal cancer. JAMA Oncol. 2019;5(8):1124–1131.
AUSTIN, Texas, Jan. 22, 2022 /PRNewswire/ — Natera, Inc. (NASDAQ: NTRA), a leader in personalized genetic testing and diagnostics, today announced new data recently presented on the clinical utility of Signatera, its personalized and tumor-informed molecular residual disease (MRD) test, at the American Society of Clinical Oncology’s 2022 Gastrointestinal Cancers Symposium (ASCO GI). The oral presentation included an updated analysis from the landmark CIRCULATE-Japan trial analyzing a cohort of colorectal cancer (CRC) patients.
More than 3,000 CRC patients are now enrolled in CIRCULATE-Japan, the largest prospective, multi-center, MRD-guided trial in CRC, using Signatera to monitor MRD status in patients with stage I-IV CRC up to 96 weeks post-surgery. The latest analysis of more than 1,000 patients from the observational GALAXY arm of the study highlighted three novel findings that were presented at the conference:
Signatera positivity is predictive of treatment benefit: patients who were MRD-positive at 4 weeks post-op benefited significantly from adjuvant chemotherapy (ACT), across all stages of disease.
Signatera-negative patients did not benefit from ACT: patients with high-risk stage II and stage III disease who were MRD-negative at 4 weeks post-op did not derive significant benefit from ACT (p-value of .63).
Signatera dynamics during ACT is predictive of treatment benefit: 68% of ACT-treated patients cumulatively cleared their ctDNA by week 24 and had significantly better outcomes relative to those who remained ctDNA-positive, with a hazard ratio of 15.8.
In addition, the single time point post-surgical sensitivity of Signatera in stage II and III CRC was 67.6%. This sensitivity analysis included over 5 times more cancer recurrences than previously reported in Reinert, et. al.1
“Definitive evidence has now been presented that personalized MRD testing can guide adjuvant treatment decisions, particularly for MRD-positive patients who clearly benefit from adjuvant chemotherapy,” said the CIRCULATE-Japan study’s principal investigator, Dr. Takayuki Yoshino, of the National Cancer Center Hospital East, Kashiwa, Chiba, Japan. “We see these results as an important step forward in establishing MRD-guided adjuvant therapy as the standard of care for colorectal cancer patients worldwide.”
“Current guidelines recommend combination chemotherapy for all patients with stage III CRC, yet it is known that up to 40% are cured by surgery alone. Our study demonstrates that MRD testing can help stratify and predict which patients are likely to benefit from systemic therapy,” said Alexey Aleshin, M.D., VP of oncology medical affairs at Natera. “We are extremely pleased with these groundbreaking results from CIRCULATE-Japan and are optimistic they may change practice guidelines.”
The full presentation, as shown at ASCO GI, is available here.
About Signatera
Signatera is a custom-built circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) test for treatment monitoring and molecular residual disease (MRD) assessment in patients previously diagnosed with cancer. The test is available for both clinical and research use, and has been granted three Breakthrough Device Designations by the FDA for multiple cancer types and indications. The Signatera test is personalized and tumor-informed, providing each individual with a customized blood test tailored to fit the unique signature of clonal mutations found in that individual’s tumor. This maximizes Signatera’s accuracy for detecting the presence or absence of residual disease in a blood sample, even at levels down to a single tumor molecule in a tube of blood. Signatera is intended to detect and assess how much cancer is left in the body, to identify recurrence earlier and to help optimize treatment decisions.
About Natera
Natera™ is a global leader in cell-free DNA testing, dedicated to oncology, women’s health, and organ health. Our aim is to make personalized genetic testing and diagnostics part of the standard of care to protect health and enable earlier and more targeted interventions that help lead to longer, healthier lives. Natera’s tests are validated by more than 100 peer-reviewed publications that demonstrate high accuracy. Natera operates ISO 13485-certified and CAP-accredited laboratories certified under the Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments (CLIA) in Austin, Texas and San Carlos, California. For more information, visit www.natera.com.
Forward-Looking Statements
All statements other than statements of historical facts contained in this press release are forward-looking statements and are not a representation that Natera’s plans, estimates, or expectations will be achieved. These forward-looking statements represent Natera’s expectations as of the date of this press release, and Natera disclaims any obligation to update the forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements are subject to known and unknown risks and uncertainties that may cause actual results to differ materially, including with respect to our efforts to develop and commercialize new product offerings, whether the results of clinical or other studies will support the use of our product offerings, the impact of results of such studies, our expectations of the reliability, accuracy and performance of our tests, or of the benefits of our tests and product offerings to patients, providers and payers Additional risks and uncertainties are discussed in greater detail in “Risk Factors” in Natera’s recent filings on Forms 10-K and 10-Q and in other filings Natera makes with the SEC from time to time. These documents are available at www.natera.com/investors and www.sec.gov.
Contacts
Investor Relations: Mike Brophy, CFO, Natera, Inc., 510-826-2350
Media: Kate Stabrawa, Communications, Natera, Inc., [email protected]
References
Reinert T, Henriksen TV, Christensen E, et al. Analysis of plasma cell-free DNA by ultradeep sequencing in patients with stages I to III colorectal cancer. JAMA Oncol. 2019;5(8):1124–1131.
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