Benzinga | Dec 15, 2021 12:25PM EST

BioIQ, DermTech Report Deal To Bring Increased Patient Access To Precision Genomics

BioIQ, Inc., ("BioIQ") an analytics-driven population health and testing platform company for top employers, health plans, and government agencies, and DermTech, Inc. (NASDAQ:DMTK) ("DermTech"), a leader in precision dermatology enabled by a non-invasive skin genomics platform, today announced an agreement to bring increased patient access to precision genomics. The DermTech Melanoma Test is now included in BioIQ's lineup of testing options for employee and member health programs. The program will be available in Florida initially with planned expansion to other states.



Skin cancer is the most prevalent cancer in the U.S., with melanoma being the deadliest form. The survival rate of individuals with melanoma is significantly higher when the cancer is detected early. Unfortunately, the current pathway for ruling out melanoma can be costly, invasive, and inconvenient, requiring an on-site biopsy at a medical facility followed by pathology evaluation to determine if cancerous cells are present. In addition, the COVID-19 pandemic has caused record numbers of Americans to delay or avoid medical care, including preventive screenings for cancer and other diseases. The consequences of deferring medical care can cause serious financial and health implications, leading to higher health care costs for employers and health plans, and unhealthier outcomes for many patients.1

The agreement between DermTech and BioIQ will allow employers and health plans to drive more convenient access to independent, board-certified dermatologists to assess suspicious skin spots or moles. In addition, the dermatologist can order testing for melanoma using convenient, non-invasive skin sample collection. Members complete an intake process for melanoma risk assessment in the BioIQ Platform, where at-risk patients are flagged for follow up. Through DermTech's telemedicine platform --DermTech ConnectTM, individuals can take photos of a suspicious mole and be connected with a board-certified dermatologist who determines next steps and recommended clinical services. If warranted, the dermatologist can order the DermTech Melanoma Test, beginning with a sample collection kit, which includes the revolutionary DermTech Smart Sticker(tm), being sent to the patient's home where collection is conducted with support of clinical staff. Diagnosis and further treatment recommendations are based on the dermatologist's medical judgment and individual's test results where applicable.

"We're thrilled to work with BioIQ to help in the fight to catch melanoma early by arming employers andhealth plans with a platform for teledermatology and access to a convenient, accurate and non-invasive precision genomic test," said Dan Visage, SVP, Payer Access with DermTech. "The DermTech Connect platform makes it easier for a patient to connect to a dermatologist. And the DermTech Melanoma Test improves the testing experience for both patients and providers. For a patient, it's convenient and pain-free, and a skin sample can be collected in the comfort of their home. For providers, it provides a useful tool for assessing potentially melanocytic moles, while also reducing employer and health plan costs."

"DermTech is a natural fit for our suite of population health testing solutions as both of our organizations look to improve population health for employers, health plans, and government entities, especially amidst this challenging time in which important care has been delayed or avoided," said BioIQ Founder, President, and CEO, Justin Bellante. "The DermTech Melanoma Test is revolutionizing precision genomics for melanoma, making it less invasive and more convenient than ever for patients to access precision genomics testing for one of the most prevalent cancers in the U.S."

To learn more about BioIQ's end-to-end technology platform for population health testing, screening, and vaccination access programs, including COVID-19 solutions, visit https://www.bioiq.com/platform/.

To learn more about DermTech, visit https://dermtech.com/.