Orange Health Labs expands genetic health testing to build personalised health-risk profiles

Bengaluru-based Orange Health Labs is expanding its preventive healthcare portfolio with genetic health testing and DNA-based insights, as the company looks to move towards a more personalised approach to health monitoring.

The diagnostics company currently offers two genetic-health focused products: Genetic Health Insights, which uses an individual’s DNA to identify potential health risks, and Nutri DNA, which provides insights into how a person may respond to areas such as nutrition, caffeine, vitamins, fats, carbohydrates, proteins and exercise.

Dhruv Gupta, Co-founder, Orange Health Labs, said the company’s longer-term ambition is to connect genetic information with regular diagnostic testing and AI-led health monitoring.

“The idea is that if you get a genetic test done, we can tell you which are the markers to track. Over a period of time, you can see whether that risk is increasing,” said Gupta.

Orange Health Labs currently partners with a leading genetic health company for processing and interpretation of genetic tests. The company is evaluating bringing more advanced testing capabilities in-house as volumes increase and plans to invest in technology and equipment to strengthen its diagnostics capabilities.

The company sees AI as a key enabler in making genetic testing more accessible. AI can help simplify the interpretation of complex genetic information and connect it with a consumer’s ongoing diagnostic history.

Orange Health Labs envisions a system where genetic testing could establish an individual’s baseline health-risk profile, followed by regular biomarker testing to monitor relevant risks over time. The company's AI platform could then help identify changes that may warrant further medical attention.

The company believes the declining cost of genomic technologies could eventually make genetic testing a more mainstream component of preventive healthcare.

Orange Health Labs is also seeing a significant shift in consumer behaviour towards preventive diagnostics. Preventive testing currently accounts for around 55 per cent of the company’s business, compared with about 5 per cent during its early years.

The company said its broader objective is to help consumers understand their health earlier in life rather than primarily engaging with healthcare after a condition has emerged.

The initiative forms part of the company’s strategy to evolve from a diagnostics provider into a technology-enabled health-measurement platform, combining genetic information, biomarkers, historical diagnostic data and AI-powered interpretation.

Narayan Kulkarni

narayan.kulkarni@mmactiv.com