Genova Quietly Grows Precision Health Reach from Asheville HQ
By Mindy Hamlin, NCBiotech Writer
For more than 30 years, Genova Diagnostics has been quietly growing its clinical laboratory services from its headquarters in Asheville, evolving into the significant new world of precision health services.
Through the development of innovative tools and reports, the company is helping doctors identify the best treatments for chronic disease and overall patient wellness.
The company’s 125 different testing panels allow doctors to focus on the intricacies of the body’s metabolism rather than on just one single measure typically provided from a blood test.
“Genova’s systems-based approach allows doctors to get to a more complete answer on how the body’s various systems are interacting with each other and whether problems in one system are impacting other medical issues,” said Ashley Gibbon, manager of research and development at Genova.
The company’s advancements align with the North Carolina Biotechnology Center’s Precision Health Initiative, which focuses on empowering patients, researchers and providers in the development of individualized care.
“The kind of advanced testing Genova offers is opening the door to precision health, where doctors can offer treatment options that are tailored to the patient's specific issue,” said Jonathan Snover, executive director of NCBiotech’s Western Office. “In many cases, this will result in more rapid recovery and better health outcomes, which, in turn, will reduce long-term health care costs.”
Genova’s innovative testing products are used to develop detailed and easy-to-read reports that can be discussed with the patient to discuss how medical issues can be addressed. The panels include:
- Gastrointestinal/Immunology
- Genomics
- Endocrinology
- Environment
- Nutrition
Genova was founded in Asheville in 1986 as the Great Smokies Diagnostic Laboratory. Levine Leichtman Capital Partners, a Los Angeles-based private equity firm, bought Genova in November 2013 for an undisclosed sum. Today, Genova employs more than 300 people in two Asheville-area locations, with more than 250 additional employees at locations in Atlanta and London.