NEW YORK – Metafora Biosystems said Monday that French national health authorities have granted national coverage of the firm's test for the early detection of a rare neurometabolic disorder.
The Paris-based firm's Metaglut1 is a flow cytometry test that is used for the early detection of Glut1 deficiency syndrome, or De Vivo disease, which is characterized by impaired glucose uptake by brain cells and can result in seizures, movement disorders, and developmental delay. The test is now available with French National Health Insurance coverage from two laboratories in Paris and nearby Frépillon.
"By securing reimbursement, we can ensure broader and more equitable access to this life-changing diagnostic tool, empowering healthcare professionals to effectively identify Glut1DS and promptly initiate appropriate treatment strategies," Metafora CEO Vincent Petit said in a statement.
Glut1DS affects an estimated 30,000 people in Europe and the US, although fewer than 2,000 have a diagnosis, Metafora said.
Metaglut1 is Metafora's first commercial product. The firm said that the company's technology allows healthcare providers to measure changes in single-cell metabolism and determine a cell's metabolic fitness as an indicator of disease. It is also working to validate oncology-use assays that would apply its technology to the characterization of tumor and immune cells.