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Clinical Laboratories and Pathology Groups

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Clinical Laboratories and Pathology Groups

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Lab Industry Entrepreneur Launches New Lab to Offer Molecular Tests to Dentists

For the third time in the past ten years, laboratory industry entrepreneur Brian Carr is heading up a new laboratory company he helped found. Earlier this week, OralDNALabs, Inc. of Brentwood, Tennessee, announced it was open for business. Carr will be its President and Chief Executive Officer.

OralDNALabs has a unique strategy. It plans to offer genetic tests to dentists. It is starting with two proprietary molecular assays. One test, MyPerioPath, uses DNA to identify both the presence and bacterial load of pathogens associated with periodontal disease. The second test, My PerioID PST, uses technology licensed from Interleukin Genetics Inc. (AMEX:ILI) of Waltham, Massachusetts. This test is predictive of the patient’s susceptibility to periodontal disease by analyzing the Interleukin 1 genes. With these first two assays, OralDNALabs says that it will provide dentists with a more precise method for diagnosing and treating gingivitis and periodontitus.

Brian Carr was involved in starting two other laboratory companies. In 1998, he was one of the original founders of Pathology Consultants of America, Inc., (PCA) based in Brentwood, Tennessee, where he served as CEO (see The Dark Report, April 13, 1998). PCA was acquired by AmeriPath, Inc. in December 2000. Then, in April 2004, Carr formed American Esoteric Laboratories, Inc. (AEL), also headquartered in Brentwood, Tennessee (see The Dark Report, April 26, 2004). Carr was Chairman and CEO of AEL up until its acquisition by Sonic Healthcare Ltd in December 2006.

Now, with the launch of his third laboratory company in the past ten years, Carr will attempt to bring molecular diagnostics to the dental profession. As careful readers of Dark Daily will recall, we have written in recent months about research studies that are using saliva specimens to diagnose a variety of diseases, including cancer (see Advances in Salivary Diagnostics Point to New Ways to Detect Cancer and Other Diseases). Experts predict that many of these emerging diagnostic technologies will find ready application in oral health. Newly-formed OralDNALabs may be the first laboratory company organized specifically to serve dentists and other oral health professionals. As they do, they must answer a fundamental question: are dentists ready to order laboratory tests as a regular part of their daily routine?

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