logo
#

Latest news with #NIPS

Planning for Your Baby's Health: Non-Invasive Prenatal Screening and Stem Cell Collection Insights
Planning for Your Baby's Health: Non-Invasive Prenatal Screening and Stem Cell Collection Insights

Time Business News

time23-05-2025

  • Health
  • Time Business News

Planning for Your Baby's Health: Non-Invasive Prenatal Screening and Stem Cell Collection Insights

Parenthood is a memorable journey filled with hopes and dreams for your baby's future. Early pregnancy health checks for your baby are now possible with the latest medical innovations, and even protect their future with special cells collected at birth. Two essential services many parents are choosing today are: Non-invasive prenatal screening (NIPS) — to check your baby's health early. — to check your baby's health early. Stem cell collection — to preserve life-saving cells from your baby's umbilical cord. Whether you're doing a simple prenatal test or planning to collect stem cells, First Stem Cell and Genomics Laboratory makes the process smooth, clear, and supportive. Non-invasive prenatal screening is a safe and simple test that helps determine whether your baby might have certain genetic conditions. NIPS helps give you peace of mind and more time to make decisions, especially if further testing or support is needed. Here's what makes NIPS a considerable decision by parents: It's done with a simple blood test from the mother — no risk to the baby. You can take the test as early as 10 weeks into pregnancy. It looks for common chromosome conditions like: Down syndrome (Trisomy 21) Trisomy 18 and Trisomy 13 Some sex chromosome disorders It provides accurate and early results, usually within 5 to 10 days. NIPS benefits parents who want more information about their baby's health without the stress of invasive procedures. Many expecting parents now prefer NIPS because it's: Risk-Free – No risk of needles near the baby – No risk of needles near the baby Easy Process – Just a small blood draw from the mother – Just a small blood draw from the mother Fast Turnaround – Quick results to ease your worries – Quick results to ease your worries High-Accuracy – Highly accurate for detecting certain conditions – Highly accurate for detecting certain conditions Doctor-recommended – Trusted by medical experts around the world Stem cell collection is a special process that happens at birth. It involves collecting blood samples from the umbilical cord containing powerful stem cells. These cells are like building blocks, as they can grow into different types of healthy blood and immune cells. Doctors already use them to treat many serious illnesses. Conditions treated with stem cells include: Leukemia and some other cancers Conditions affecting the blood, including sickle cell anemia and thalassemia Immune system disorders Research is ongoing for conditions like cerebral palsy and diabetes Saving stem cells is a way of planning and giving your family more medical options in case of future illness. Here's why many families are choosing stem cell collection: It's a one-time chance — the umbilical cord can only be collected at birth. The process is safe and painless for both baby and mother. These stem cells could be used in future treatments. They're a valuable medical resource, just like a health safety net for your child. Choosing where to do these tests is just as crucial as deciding. FSG is a trusted medical lab that offers non-invasive prenatal screening and stem cell collection services. Accurate testing with the latest medical technology Fast results that you can count on A friendly support team to guide you through every step Safe and professional collection of stem cells at birth Help with insurance and flexible, affordable plans Access to genetic counseling if you have questions about your results A trusted and precise test to learn about your baby's health during the first weeks of pregnancy. Talk to your doctor about getting NIPS. Visit a clinic or lab to give a blood sample. Wait 5–10 days for your results. Review the results with your doctor to understand the next steps. Sign up with FSG before your delivery. A trained professional collects the umbilical cord blood when your baby is born. The stem cells are safely stored in a secure facility. You'll receive confirmation that your child's stem cells are preserved for future use. Your baby's health begins before birth, and accurate insights give you more confidence to protect it. With non-invasive prenatal screening, you get valuable information early in your pregnancy. By choosing stem cell collection, you create a health resource that could be life-saving one day. Contact FSG today to learn more about our services, book your screening, or register for stem cell collection. With the support of a lab you can rely on, give your baby the healthiest possible start in life. TIME BUSINESS NEWS

MYGN Q1 Earnings Call: Guidance Cut Amid GeneSight Challenges and Slow Hereditary Cancer Ramp
MYGN Q1 Earnings Call: Guidance Cut Amid GeneSight Challenges and Slow Hereditary Cancer Ramp

Yahoo

time20-05-2025

  • Business
  • Yahoo

MYGN Q1 Earnings Call: Guidance Cut Amid GeneSight Challenges and Slow Hereditary Cancer Ramp

Genetic testing company Myriad Genetics (NASDAQ:MYGN) fell short of the market's revenue expectations in Q1 CY2025, with sales falling 3.1% year on year to $195.9 million. The company's full-year revenue guidance of $815 million at the midpoint came in 3.7% below analysts' estimates. Its non-GAAP loss of $0.03 per share was $0.02 above analysts' consensus estimates. Is now the time to buy MYGN? Find out in our full research report (it's free). Revenue: $195.9 million vs analyst estimates of $200.4 million (3.1% year-on-year decline, 2.3% miss) Adjusted EPS: -$0.03 vs analyst estimates of -$0.05 ($0.02 beat) Adjusted EBITDA: -$640,000 vs analyst estimates of -$1.92 million (-0.3% margin, 66.6% beat) The company dropped its revenue guidance for the full year to $815 million at the midpoint from $850 million, a 4.1% decrease Adjusted EPS guidance for Q2 CY2025 is $0 at the midpoint, below analyst estimates of $0.02 EBITDA guidance for the full year is $23 million at the midpoint, below analyst estimates of $29.85 million Operating Margin: -14.8%, down from -13.8% in the same quarter last year Free Cash Flow was -$21.6 million compared to -$25.3 million in the same quarter last year Market Capitalization: $380.7 million Myriad Genetics' first quarter results reflected a combination of headwinds and pockets of growth across its genetic testing portfolio. Management attributed the revenue decline primarily to lower volumes in its GeneSight pharmacogenomics test and softness in hereditary cancer testing for unaffected patients, while also highlighting continued strength in prenatal and oncology-related products. President and CEO Sam Raha described the quarter as challenging, noting, 'Strength in our prenatal and oncology MyRisk tests were offset by softness in volume for GeneSight and unaffected hereditary cancer tests,' and acknowledged the need for improved execution in certain segments. Looking ahead, the company's full-year guidance was revised downward due to expectations for continued softness in GeneSight and hereditary cancer test volumes. Management emphasized a renewed focus on operational efficiency and product launches, especially the upcoming First Gene combined carrier screening and NIPS assay. Raha stated, 'We have started taking deliberate steps to reduce our overall projected spending while prioritizing investments and resources on driving 2025 revenue and high-value new product development.' The leadership team signaled a period of strategic reassessment, with a strategy refresh expected later this year. Myriad Genetics' management detailed the primary factors shaping first quarter performance and provided updates on business segments and upcoming initiatives. GeneSight Coverage Headwinds: The UnitedHealthcare policy change for GeneSight, effective January 1, contributed to a substantial reduction in revenue from this product line. Management explained that reduced marketing spend and commercial resources further impacted GeneSight's volume, and noted that the majority of the $35 million revenue guidance cut was tied to these dynamics. Hereditary Cancer Workflow Challenges: Hereditary cancer testing for unaffected individuals experienced flat volumes due to slower-than-anticipated adoption of electronic medical record (EMR) integrations and lower ramp from breast cancer risk assessment programs. Management cited technical workflow hurdles and outlined plans to address these issues account by account, expecting several quarters to achieve stabilization. Prenatal and Oncology Segment Growth: Prenatal tests (notably ForeSight and Prequel) and MyRisk hereditary cancer tests for affected patients showed double-digit volume growth, offsetting some declines in other areas. The company highlighted the positive impact of recent product launches and deeper account penetration in these segments. Strategic Product Pipeline: Management reaffirmed its commitment to launching the First Gene combined carrier screening and NIPS assay by mid-year, advancing the PRECISE MRD minimal residual disease test (with clinical data presented at recent conferences), and introducing an AI-enabled Prolaris test for prostate cancer by year-end. Leadership and Organizational Changes: Recent executive appointments were emphasized, including Mark Verratti as Chief Operating Officer and Brian Donnelly as Chief Commercial Officer, alongside targeted hiring in oncology R&D and biopharma services. Management described these appointments as foundational to the company's efforts to enhance execution and organizational design. Management's outlook for the remainder of the year centers on addressing operational hurdles in core product lines while prioritizing efficient investment and strategic product launches. The company's guidance reflects expectations for moderate sequential improvement and a continued focus on execution. GeneSight and Hereditary Cancer Recovery: Management plans to implement workflow solutions and targeted commercial strategies to increase GeneSight and hereditary cancer test volumes. However, they acknowledged near-term headwinds and expect a gradual ramp-up as EMR integrations and risk assessment programs scale. Cost Control and Investment Focus: The company intends to reduce discretionary spending, limit headcount growth, and reallocate resources to high-priority projects, including key product launches and EMR integration initiatives. Management expects these steps to drive incremental margin improvement without compromising strategic growth. Product Launch Milestones: Upcoming launches of the First Gene combined carrier screening/NIPS assay and the AI-enabled Prolaris test are expected to be important catalysts for revenue growth, contingent on timely execution and successful market adoption. Doug Schenkel (Wolfe Research): Questioned the complexity of Myriad's narrative and the timeline for simplifying business operations; management suggested clarity will take several months and identified oncology, volume growth, and new product launches as key metrics. Puneet Souda (Leerink Partners): Asked about potential payer risks for GeneSight beyond UnitedHealthcare and provider behavior; management stated no additional payer losses have occurred and provider ordering patterns remain stable. David Westenberg (Piper Sandler): Requested details on the slow ramp in hereditary cancer testing for unaffected patients; management attributed it to technical EMR workflow issues and outlined ongoing account-specific solutions. Matt Sykes (Goldman Sachs): Inquired about the nature of cost savings; management confirmed cuts are focused on discretionary spend and infrastructure, not core product development or commercial teams. Tejas Sawant (Morgan Stanley): Asked about MRD product sensitivity milestones and the timeline for strategy changes; management highlighted upcoming clinical data releases and committed to a phased strategy refresh by late 2025. In the coming quarters, the StockStory team will be monitoring (1) progress on workflow improvements and EMR integrations that could boost hereditary cancer and GeneSight test volumes, (2) execution and market reception of new product launches, particularly First Gene and AI-enabled Prolaris, and (3) the effectiveness of cost control measures in supporting margin stabilization. Updates on clinical data for the PRECISE MRD test and additional payer coverage wins will also be important markers of future performance. Myriad Genetics currently trades at a forward P/E ratio of 32.6×. In the wake of earnings, is it a buy or sell? Find out in our free research report. The market surged in 2024 and reached record highs after Donald Trump's presidential victory in November, but questions about new economic policies are adding much uncertainty for 2025. While the crowd speculates what might happen next, we're homing in on the companies that can succeed regardless of the political or macroeconomic environment. Put yourself in the driver's seat and build a durable portfolio by checking out our Top 6 Stocks for this week. This is a curated list of our High Quality stocks that have generated a market-beating return of 176% over the last five years. Stocks that made our list in 2020 include now familiar names such as Nvidia (+1,545% between March 2020 and March 2025) as well as under-the-radar businesses like the once-small-cap company Comfort Systems (+782% five-year return). Find your next big winner with StockStory today. Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data

New ‘travel' series for comedian Paddy Raff
New ‘travel' series for comedian Paddy Raff

BBC News

time02-04-2025

  • Entertainment
  • BBC News

New ‘travel' series for comedian Paddy Raff

Many tourists come to Northern Ireland to visit well-known attractions, often overlooking smaller rural towns. In a bid to rectify this, 'NIPS' (Northern Ireland Promotional Society) have enlisted comedian Paddy Raff's posh alter-ego, Nigel, to front a new campaign that shines a light on some of Northern Ireland's 'lesser known' tourist attractions. In this three-part series, Nigel - who is far too busy being posh to go himself - sends Paddy and a celebrity friend off the beaten track for short breaks in Counties Tyrone, Armagh and Antrim. Paddy says: 'I can't wait for the series to hit TV screens, partly because it's a craic-filled, off-the-beaten-track travelogue that I think people will really love.' 'And also because my wife looked after the kids while I was away filming and all she heard about was me doing clay pigeon shooting, gin making classes, learning to pull pints and sipping champagne in hot tubs - I need it to air so she sees I wasn't on some sort of BBC-funded stag do!' 'Nigel' says: 'I come from a two-up two-down upbringing, in that we had two properties up the coast and two in County Down, so I've always seen the beauty of Northern Ireland and it's an honour to have been grabbed by the NIPS to shine a light on these hidden gems.' From milking cows to making gin, the intrepid travellers have plenty of adventures as they explore Northern Ireland and sample the delights the different towns have to offer. Nigel does have one stipulation, however, insisting that Paddy and his guest stay at a unique location befitting of his BT9 status, complete with a hot tub for the 'end of the night bubbles'. In episode one, Paddy and Hope Street actor Tara Lynne O'Neill visit 'the Moy' in Co Tyrone for drinks and dancing before spending the night in a Georgian period property which has been converted into a swanky B&B. Paddy and comedian Russell Kane take a 'lads' trip' to Forkhill in Co Armagh in the second episode, where they brush up on their survival skills in the surrounding woodlands, take aim at a shooting range, and 'live life on the edge' with an overnight stay at a treehouse perched on a hillside. In the final episode, Paddy and Northern Ireland comedian Mickey Bartlett experience the delights of country living in Ballybogey, Co Antrim. The boys have a go at driving a train on a miniature railway and milk cows at a local farm, before bedding down for the night in the intimate surrounds of a converted horsebox. Then it's over to Nigel to add a touch of star quality to these bespoke promotional videos, before the big premiere at a special screening with tourism industry 'bigwigs'. Will Nigel put these places firmly on the map? Paddy And Nigel's Tourist Trap is made by Stellify Media for BBC Northern Ireland. The full series will be available to watch on BBC iPlayer from Friday 4 April. ML

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into the world of global news and events? Download our app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store