DNALabs testing kits

Toronto-based DNALabs Offers Home Genetic Testing Kits

Toronto-based DNALabs has launched genetic testing kits that can be purchased and used at home to determine everything from drug compatibility to genetic markers for fitness, diet, obesity, and more. The idea is to help people make more informed decisions about their nutrition and other things that can impact their overall wellness.

Each kit comes with a cheek swab for at-home DNA collection along with vial, instructions, a consent form, and a pre-paid return envelope. The swab is mailed back to DNALabs where it is analyzed to provide reports back to the patients and/or their healthcare provider. 

The company was founded in 2016 by a group of scientists, entrepreneurs, and experienced professionals who began by producing genetic testing solutions to healthcare organizations including renowned hospitals such as the Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids). Testing is carried out in a clinical molecular genetics laboratory. The company also has an office in Boca Raton, Florida, which opened in October 2021.

DNALabs testing kits

There are three products available for purchase. MatchmyMeds is a drug compatibility test that

looks at your DNA to determine whether certain, commonly prescribed drugs will work, and at what dose. This information, says DNALabs, enables doctors to make the best prescribing choices for you to help minimize the likelihood of unwanted side effects and maximize the odds of a successful outcome.

LovemyHealth offers actionable nutrition, exercise and lifestyle recommendations tailored to your unique genetic makeupl while LovemyHealthPRO covers the content in the standard LoveMyHealth test plus adds an additional 41 genetic markers selected based on your reported associations with various clinical outcomes related to diet, detoxification, heart health, hormonal health, mental wellness, obesity risk, physical fitness, and specific nutrient needs.

DNALabs is currently working with SickKids to assess the clinical utility of pharmacogenetics for various therapeutic categories such cardiovascular, gastroenterology, and oncology. On May 26, 2021, the first study of this clinical research was successfully published. In the point-of-care cohort, 40% of children with current or planned exposure to a pharmacogenomic (PGx) targeted drug were found to have a genotype warranting a change in treatment. In a pre-emptive cohort, it was also discovered that 80% of patients could benefit from the existence of PGx test results for future treatment decisions. 

The company is also working with Veterans Affairs Canada’s Operational Stress Injury (OSI) Clinics to enhance personalized psychiatric care for treatment-seeking Canadian Armed Forces Veterans.

In March 2019, DNALabs also established a white label test in partnership with nutraceutical company Advanced Orthomolecular Research (AOR). Through the partnership, DNALabs launched MyBlueprint, a DNA-based nutrition and lifestyle test that uses technology to identify unique genetic variations. The information in the test is based on 84 genetic markers within 65 genes and provides recommendations on 41 clinical endpoints within eight key health categories. The MyBlueprint DNA test looks at genetic variations related to diet, sensitivities, specific nutrient requirements, physical fitness, mental wellness, detox, obesity risk, and hormonal health.