A Medical Device Daily

Genomas (Hartford, Connecticut) a company developing DNA-guided medicine and personalized healthcare, reported receiving a Fast-Track Phase I-II Small Business Innovation Research Grant of $1.2 million. The grant, entitled “DNA Diagnostic System for Statin Safety and Efficacy,” was awarded by the National Institute of General Medical Sciences (NIGMS; Bethesda, Maryland). Statins are the most prescribed drugs in the world.

Drugs in this class include atorvastatin (Lipitor), rosuvastatin (Crestor), and simvastatin (Zocor and generic formulations). Statin-induced neuro-myopathy (SINM) is the primary safety risk of these drugs. SINM presents as a constellation of nerve and muscle side effects, such as muscle aches (myalgia), cramps, weakness and muscle injury (myositis, monitored in serum by elevation of certain enzymes).

To date, Genomas says it has secured $3.1 million of NIH SBIR funding for PhyzioType product development. These programs have been anchored by the partnership with Hartford Hospital for translating DNA-guided medicine into clinical practice.

Genomas says it is a developer of “DNA-guided medicine and personalized healthcare.”

In contract news: The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services said it has awarded a five-year contract to National Government Services (NGS; Indianapolis) for the combined administration of Part A and Part B Medicare claims payment in Connecticut and New York.

NGS will serve as the first point of contact for the processing and payment of Medicare fee-for-service claims from hospitals, skilled nursing facilities, physicians and other healthcare practitioners in the two states.

The new contractor will take claims payment work now performed by two fiscal intermediaries and four carriers in the two states. The A/B MAC contract has a value of about $323 million over five years.