Sema4 Natalis

Sema4 has launched Natalis, a supplemental newborn screening test designed to detect 193 childhood-onset diseases or disorders. In the US, newborns are typically screened for 34 health conditions on the recommended uniform screening panel, but the conditions vary by state and represent only a fraction of the genetic diseases that can manifest in a child's first decade, Sema4 noted. As a supplemental test, Natalis screens for more than five times the number of genetic diseases than a state's standard hospital test, the company said. Every Sema4 Natalis order also includes a pharmacogenetic analysis of how a baby is likely to respond to 38 medications commonly prescribed at an early age. The test uses DNA sequencing analysis, and sample collection can be performed at home with a cheek swab, the company said.