Authored by: Dr Chee-Onn Leong, CEO – AGTC Genomics
During the pandemic, the importance and usage of genome sequencing were widely seen when the technology was used to sequence the first SARS-CoV-2 viral genome in less than 10 days. This led to the development of effective detection methods such as PCR (Polymerase Chain Reaction) and RTK (Rapid Test Kit), and subsequently the design of the COVID-19 vaccine. Even now with us being in the post-pandemic phase, sequencing technology is still being deployed as a surveillance tool to monitor the emergence of new COVID19 variants and other infectious diseases.
Benefits of Genome Sequencing on Individuals
Being involved in a number of large-scale genome projects and cancer genome projects for more than 15 years, I believe the Malaysian public is in dire need to better understand of the immense benefits of the WGS (Whole Genome Sequencing).
Some of the major benefits include knowing about the elevated risks for known diseases that could help individuals make proactive decisions about their health such as visiting the doctor for more frequent checkups or screenings, choosing one type of prescription drug over another or even altering their diet or exercise plan specially catered to their genetic codes. This saves a lot of trials and errors for those who are struggling to maintain a healthy lifestyle, and help them stay away from preventable diseases such as diabetes, cancers, Alzheimer’s and etc.
Beyond this, the information gained from Personal Genome Sequencing can help people make informed family planning decisions or allow people to make certain kinds of arrangements for their future medical care. Even patients who have a family history of fatal diseases will be more relieved to know that they do not even have the mutation in the first place, and, hence, it will not be passed on to their children.
While all of these are incredible, I believe one of the most promising benefits of genomics and precision medicine is the promise of therapies that are tailored to meet each patient’s specific needs. Healthcare providers can access an individual’s genetic code and better determine what sort of treatment is right for him or her, leading to better outcomes and lower costs. For example, in the management of lung cancer, conventionally, patients are often required to do multiple genetic tests to determine which treatment is better to target the tumour with minimal side effects. These tests can easily cost RM 20,000–RM 30,000 and may require 3–5 tests that will span almost a month to find the right treatment.
However, with the advent of the high-throughput NGS (Next Generation Sequencing) technology, one will only need to perform one test that will cost less than RM10,000 and you will have the right treatment to target the mutated gene in a week’s time. You can see how time-saving and cost-effective this is. Time and cost are critical factors for a cancer patient, and we cannot afford to compromise on any, at all. This is critical information that can help save lives, but in Malaysia, the common practice of having patients go through multiple tests remains incredibly tedious and cost-prohibitive.
The Current Underlying Issue
Even with all these benefits, the awareness of the importance of genomics has been lacking for the past decade in Malaysia while the rest of the world has made tremendous progress in genome research. The utilization of Genome Sequencing Technology in Malaysia is limited because the set up and maintenance of a DNA Sequencing Facility can cost a fortune. Besides that, Malaysia seriously lacks the appropriate technical expertise in this field. Most of our genomics research in Malaysia are outsourced to other developed countries such as Singapore, South Korea, China, the U.S. and the UK. This is an alarming trend because most of the genomic information about our population and biodiversity is now being held on sovereign lands and our overreliance on “outsourcing” has led to a lack of local talent development in this field.
“One of the most promising benefits of genomics and precision medicine is the promise of therapies that are tailored to meet each patient’s specific needs. Healthcare providers can access an individual’s genetic code and better determine what sort of treatment is right for him or her, leading to better outcomes and lower costs.”
This, in turn, has caused Malaysia to lag behind other countries in the genomic race. For example, our neighbouring countries such as Singapore (SG100K), Thailand (Genomics Thailand Initiative) and Vietnam (1KVG) have started their own National Genome Project well before us. Malaysia has yet to embark on a concerted effort to launch its own MGP (Malaysian Genome Project) despite our rich heritage and diversity.
Malaysia as an Independent Genome Sequencing Hub
Fortunately, with the establishment of the first high-throughput Genome Sequencing Lab at AGTC Genomics, Malaysia can now afford to sequence an entire human genome (or any genome) and will not have to rely on “outsourcing” abroad to work at deciphering our own human genomes. With this technology in hand, it is hoped that Malaysia will catch up in the genomic race—to establish its own National Human Genome Project for our future generation.
For instance, in the previously mentioned scenario concerning lung cancer, we can now carry out CGP (Comprehensive Gene Profiling) where more than 500 cancer-related genes can be sequenced in full simultaneously, overcoming the multiple testing cycles to achieve the same treatment decision in less than a week and at only a quarter of the cost.
“Most of the genomic information about our population and biodiversity is now being held on sovereign lands and our overreliance on “outsourcing” has led to a lack of local talent development in this field.”
At AGTC Genomics, we can sequence more than 100 Malaysian Genomes with as little as 2 millilitres of saliva from a healthy individual, at the mere cost of a handphone each (<USD $1,000) in less than 48 hours. With this breakthrough, I am confident that we can pave the way for predictive healthcare and the possibility of identifying why certain people (with particular gene sequences) do not respond to certain medications, including what diseases a particular gene carrier, or a population, is likely to develop. The ongoing genomics revolution, highlighted by Malaysia’s potential to be the new genomic hub in the region with its rich heritage and diversity, promises to change how we predict, prevent and personalise management of diseases with precision.
Archive
- October 2024(19)
- September 2024(94)
- August 2024(100)
- July 2024(99)
- June 2024(126)
- May 2024(155)
- April 2024(123)
- March 2024(112)
- February 2024(109)
- January 2024(95)
- December 2023(56)
- November 2023(86)
- October 2023(97)
- September 2023(89)
- August 2023(101)
- July 2023(104)
- June 2023(113)
- May 2023(103)
- April 2023(93)
- March 2023(129)
- February 2023(77)
- January 2023(91)
- December 2022(90)
- November 2022(125)
- October 2022(117)
- September 2022(137)
- August 2022(119)
- July 2022(99)
- June 2022(128)
- May 2022(112)
- April 2022(108)
- March 2022(121)
- February 2022(93)
- January 2022(110)
- December 2021(92)
- November 2021(107)
- October 2021(101)
- September 2021(81)
- August 2021(74)
- July 2021(78)
- June 2021(92)
- May 2021(67)
- April 2021(79)
- March 2021(79)
- February 2021(58)
- January 2021(55)
- December 2020(56)
- November 2020(59)
- October 2020(78)
- September 2020(72)
- August 2020(64)
- July 2020(71)
- June 2020(74)
- May 2020(50)
- April 2020(71)
- March 2020(71)
- February 2020(58)
- January 2020(62)
- December 2019(57)
- November 2019(64)
- October 2019(25)
- September 2019(24)
- August 2019(14)
- July 2019(23)
- June 2019(54)
- May 2019(82)
- April 2019(76)
- March 2019(71)
- February 2019(67)
- January 2019(75)
- December 2018(44)
- November 2018(47)
- October 2018(74)
- September 2018(54)
- August 2018(61)
- July 2018(72)
- June 2018(62)
- May 2018(62)
- April 2018(73)
- March 2018(76)
- February 2018(8)
- January 2018(7)
- December 2017(6)
- November 2017(8)
- October 2017(3)
- September 2017(4)
- August 2017(4)
- July 2017(2)
- June 2017(5)
- May 2017(6)
- April 2017(11)
- March 2017(8)
- February 2017(16)
- January 2017(10)
- December 2016(12)
- November 2016(20)
- October 2016(7)
- September 2016(102)
- August 2016(168)
- July 2016(141)
- June 2016(149)
- May 2016(117)
- April 2016(59)
- March 2016(85)
- February 2016(153)
- December 2015(150)