Innovations in Women’s Health

Unlocking the mysteries of many women’s health concerns

Article provided by Roche Diagnostics Middle East FZCO

30 June 2021

Women all over the world should have the chance to live their best lives. And since good health is the best place to start, Roche is empowering women with the knowledge and tools they need to flourish.

All women should have control over their health, but they don’t always have the same access to healthcare—and access can be essential to saving or losing lives. Roche is therefore leading the way in the revolution for diagnostics that transform healthcare, making its reach more universal but its perspective more individual.

Our promise to women

Preventive screening

Early detection       

Guidance

We get closer every day to unlocking the mysteries of many women’s health concerns, but there have historically been gaps. Under the guise of modesty, female patients weren’t thoroughly examined, nor were women’s illnesses prioritized for study. Clinical trials focused mostly on men. And despite distinct male and female medical needs, even for sicknesses shared by both, gender-specific responses were disregarded when creating treatments and unraveling pathologies.

For these reasons, Roche is committed to innovations in diagnostics that enable women in their health journeys with the information they and their clinicians need to make treatment decisions that are right for them.

 

Real solutions to real problems

At Roche, we are achieving this goal by turning molecular research into tangible solutions. Our sequencing diagnostics have the power to generate vast amounts of personalized data, which can then be integrated with other patient information to provide a more complete health picture. Providing physicians with decision support tools using this aggregated information can lead to intervention before symptoms present themselves and illness spreads,

 

 

Fertility testing

Because 1 in every 6 couples globally has trouble conceiving,1 we created a non-invasive blood test that reveals approximately how many eggs remain in a woman’s ovaries. Our anti-Müllerian hormone (AMH) fertility test empowers a woman to make decisions based on definitive information.

 

Prenatal care

For pregnant women, we have diagnostics solutions that can provide peace of mind and prevent unnecessary hospitalizations. For example, the sFlt-1/PlGF ratio of biomarkers is derived from a simple blood test. This ratio can help rule out symptomatic pregnant women who will not develop preeclampsia in the next one week with more than 99% certainty.2 We also have a portfolio of prenatal diagnostics for checking in on the baby, including a blood test that can non-invasively define the risk of chromosomal abnormalities.

 

Personalized healthcare

Looking for certain biomarkers in cancer cells can help inform what treatment to choose. Some treatments are effective only for people whose cancer cells have specific characteristics. These treatments are often accompanied by “companion diagnostic tests” that look for information about a tumor to help predict whether it might respond well to the therapy. As new targeted therapies are developed and approved for breast cancer, companion diagnostic tests are key to help determine which patients are more or less likely to respond to these treatments.

 

Screening and cancer prevention

The discovery that human papillomavirus (HPV) causes 99% of all cervical cancers3 revolutionized our approach to this preventable but deadly disease. Our HPV screening test quickly identifies which women have been infected with the high-risk forms of the virus, giving their healthcare providers clear information to guide patient management decisions. As is the case with HPV, many women with other sexually transmitted infections (STIs) can be asymptomatic for a long time. Screening catches STIs before they can cause serious complications, such as infertility from chlamydia or miscarriage from syphilis.

Bridge to a healthier future

We believe women everywhere should have access to precise information about their health as early as possible. Roche is committed to transforming healthcare to serve the women who need it and to provide the right diagnostics and decision support solutions so women can take charge of their health at every stage of their lives.

The value of diagnostics shines through in the way it improves the lives of millions of women around the world. Preventive screening, early detection, and guidance for personalized treatments help women thrive and be their best selves.

 

Connect with Roche

 

References

  1. https://www.eshre.eu/-/media/sitecore-files/Press-room/ART-fact-sheet-2020-data-2016.pdf?la=en&hash=AB68A67B4FEA7723F2125B02BCB93FB837139CD4
  2. Zeisler H, Llurba E, Chantraine F, et al. Predictive Value of the sFlt-1:PlGF Ratio in Women with Suspected Preeclampsia. New England Journal of Medicine. 2016;374(1):13-22
  3. Walboomers, J et al. Human Papillomavirus is a Necessary Cause of Invasive Cervical Cancer Worldwide. J of Pathology 1999