ATHENA DIAGNOSTICS, INC.
MARLBOROUGH, MA

We are excited to announce the availability of IntelliTest Manager™,  With our flexible, web portal you can access new test information, test changes and filter the information by your client number entered at login. You can customize your view based on your rolling 12-month test utilization and fields that are important to you. IntelliTest Manager helps you effectively manage the changes that are most important to you. We are very interested in your feedback and suggestions; please click on 'Take Survey?' located on the tool bar once you've had a chance to use the portal. Athena Diagnostics is a leader in diagnostic testing for neurological diseases and offers innovative tests for Alzheimer's disease, muscular dystrophy and other neuromuscular and developmental disorders. Athena Diagnostics is dedicated to providing neurologists and other physicians and specialists with insights that can improve patient health. Athena provides the most comprehensive test menu and intellectual property portfolio for neurological, endocrine, and renal conditions through more than 400 diagnostic tests. Athena Diagnostics is a leader in diagnostic testing for neurological diseases and offers innovative tests for Alzheimer's disease, muscular dystrophy and other neuromuscular and developmental disorders. Athena Diagnostics Brings Responsible Genomics to the Genetic Testing Field Beginning with its groundbreaking test for Duchenne muscular dystrophy in 1989, the first commercially available genetic test for this disorder, Athena Diagnostics has led the field of genetic testing for three decades. As the genomic age matures, Athena remains committed to being a leader by bringing the practice of “responsible genomics” to the testing field. “We believe responsible genomics means doing the right test at the right time for the right patient,” explains Joseph Higgins, MD, Medical Director. “Responsible genomics also means a commitment to bending the cost curve to keep testing affordable. It means bringing all our expertise to bear in interpreting results, and then providing the physician with a clear, concise, and clinically actionable report.  The testing process is backed up by a staff of trained genetic counselors who can answer questions both before and after a test is done.  The interpretation of the laboratory test reflects the accumulation of 25 years of experience and knowledge that helps clinicians meet the challenges of the future, and help move the science forward.” Responsible Genomics: Doing the right test at the right time on the right patient Athena’s approach is to offer test panels with the greatest likelihood of providing a genetic diagnosis, panels that have been developed through years of experience and constant analysis of the scientific literature. “We provide evidence-based testing guided by peer-reviewed publications to guide what we do,” Dr. Higgins says. Recently, under Dr. Higgins’ guidance, Athena has gone further, producing testing algorithms that physicians can use to make their own informed decisions. “The physician can work through the algorithm in the same way our genetic counselors would, to narrow the choices to the tests most likely to be useful.” That often includes clinical tests, such as neuroimaging, physiological tests, and routine labs, that can provide relevant information before the genetic test is ordered. “We don’t want the physician to order everything—it’s not informative to the physician, and difficult to interpret the result in a clinical context.  Besides, it’s not cost-effective for the patient.” Major advances in sequencing technology have also lowered costs, and Athena’s pricing has changed to reflect that. “We’ve lowered our prices even as we’ve upgraded our testing menu with next-generation sequencing, molecular combing, and other innovative genetic technologies,” says Joseph Sterk, Product Director. “We are committed to remaining a leader in genetics by providing innovative testing at a competitive price.” “A big part of being responsible is being responsive,” says Carol Hoffman, Genetic Counselor. “Test results can have major impacts for the patient on treatment or family planning. It’s not enough to deliver a report. We need to be available to the physician to provide them the information they need to counsel the patient.” Responsible Genomics: Using knowledge to help clinicians meet the challenges of the future One source of new complexity will be the arrival of whole genome sequencing, determining the DNA sequence of every base in the genome. “The potential of whole genome sequencing is vast, but so is the complexity,” Dr. Higgins points out. “We’ll have access to the information and be able to assess non-coding and regulatory regions, as well as epigenetic factors that, right now, no one understands the clinical significance. Multidisciplinary approaches are going to be even more important in the future than it is now.  Quest Diagnostics and Athena will provide that experience” While most genetic tests are currently ordered by specialists, primary care physicians and pediatricians are soon likely to be more and more involved. Both groups are benefitting from the expertise of Athena’s Susan Hahn, a genetic counselor who spends most of her week in the field, working with physicians who are seeking a better understanding of the genetic testing landscape, in order to help their patients. “It is practice-based learning,” she says. “We pull some charts and review cases. I am the bridge between them and the testing laboratory, to make sure All trademarks and service marks identified by ®, ™ or &#8480 symbols or appearing in type form different from that of the surrounding text are marks owned by or licensed to Athena Diagnostics, Inc., its subsidiaries or affiliates, unless otherwise identified as being owned by another entity.