Affymetrix and Athletigen Partner to Advance Genetics in Human Athletic Performance

Affymetrix Inc. and Athletigen Technologies Inc., a direct-to-consumer sports genetics company, have announced a global partnership agreement. Under the agreement, Athletigen will use Affymetrix Axiom® genotyping platform for its sports-related DNA analysis service.

DNA from a saliva sample will be genotyped using Athletigen’s DNA microarray which analyzes about 850,000 variants implicated in human athletic performance. The high quality data generated when analyzed with Athletigen’s interpretative bioinformatics algorithm enables the delivery of an online, easy-to-use, actionable report on traits relating to athleticism, nutrition, and sports psychology.

“Affymetrix’ Axiom platform offers the gold standard for genotyping analysis and, when coupled with our highly curated content selection and interpretative analysis, ensures precision and accuracy for our personalized sports genetics reports to create a blueprint for improving human athletic performance,” said Jeremy Koenig, PhD, CEO of Athletigen Technologies Inc.

“We are pleased to support Athletigen’s sports genetic offering that empowers athletes and coaches to better understand their athletic traits. Our high fidelity Axiom genotyping platform, due to its high throughput capability, industry-leading genotyping performance, and affordability, is preferred by many large scale biobank projects worldwide and by emerging consumer genomics enterprises for genetic analysis of consumer bio-specimens,” said Laurent Bellon, senior vice president and general manager of the Genotyping Business Unit of Affymetrix.