Indian start up to provide ancestry genetic test

Bengaluru: For the first time in South Asia one can trace their geonelogy through a unique genetic test provided by a genomics startup Xcode.

The Chennai based company announcing the availability of such a test on Friday said that the ''South Asian Ancestry Genetic Test''will trace one's ancestry in the global and South Asian sub-population level.

The test will reveal information about oneself comparing the DNA samples of each individual with more than 35 ethnic groups in India, Pakistan, Nepal, Bangladesh and other regional countries to provide a detailed ancestry break-up, Dr Abdur Rub Co-Founder, and ChiefTechnology Officer, Xcode Life Sciences told newsmen here.

He said - "Our unique heritage, our unique history, the history of our ancestors, is living within each of us! You may be 20, 30 or50 years old, but your genes are 3 billion years old. For the first time in human history, genetic technology makes it possible to uncover this unique past that each of us carry in us''.

He said the cost of the test currently was Rs 8000, but over the period the cost could come down with increased technological interventions.

Dr Analabha Basu, Associate Professor, in the Kolkata based National Institute of Biomedical Genomics said "Knowledge about the origin of the human species as a whole has the potential to reshape our society. The more we learn about our diversity, the more we learn how connected we are. It can lead to path-breaking medical discoveries and pave the way forward to research based on our DNA patterns."

Xcode will also help individuals to trace their paternal ancestry by evaluating a person's DNA which will decode ancient migratory patterns of their forefathers.

Speaking about the company goal and expansion plans, Dr Abdur Rub said "Our goal is to bring down the disease burden of metabolic disease in India and across the world. We intend to grow to a 1million-customer base in the next 3 years. We are expanding our global footprint and are known for both genomic research as well as high-quality genetic tests, reports and related services".