deCODE genetics is one of the best-known companies in Iceland and a global leader in researching the human genome. It is a pharmaceutical company found in the year 1996 and is based in Reykjavik. They specialize in identifying, treating, and preventing diseases by studying the variations in the human genome related to general diseases. They aim to use population genetics, learn, and discover details about it, thereby developing novel methods to identify, prevent, and treat diseases. They have unique expertise in discovering key genetic risk factors for many common diseases ranging from cold and cough, flu, fever, dental, cardiovascular diseases to cancer, and a lot more. They regularly publish their discoveries in well-known journals, so that even the general public are aware of their new successful experiments when they chance upon reading them.
They have the most productive human gene discovery engine in the world. The founder of the company has been awarded the most prestigious award by the American Society of Human Genetics. The William Allan award given by the American Society of Human Genetics recognizes Kári Stefánsson’s far-reaching scientific contribution to human genetics.
deCODE genetics has the world’s most detailed collection of phenotypes, genealogy, and genotypes. This unique combination enables them to find an effective system to identify key genes associated with the common diseases and to regulate the drug response. deCODE genetics has been successful in mapping genes in more than two dozen common and rare diseases. It has been able to apply its unparalleled discovery capacity to bring to the market new sets of drugs, pharmaceutical tests, and DNA-based diagnostic products. These types of tests play a vital role in delivering personalized medicines, enabling their contribution to delivering better means of diagnosing and treating many deadly diseases by providing each patient with the most suitable medicines.
In its ever-developing pharmacogenomics schedule, deCODE genetics has gathered the linkage approach with high expression profiling to produce tests that can accurately predict diseases present in the human body to near perfection. Thus, treatment to cure the patient begins without wasting any time.
The high profile scientists of deCODE genetics use a method to map the genes based upon the company’s genealogical database of the population of Iceland. deCODE is one of the best enterprises globally to understand the human genome. deCODE’s scientific leadership for more than two decades has pioneered new partnerships, applications, and products for many types of precision medicines. The company has signed high-profile partnerships with many pharmaceutical companies like Merck, Roche, Wyeth, and others. These partnerships provide funding for the research to enhance deCODE’s work, with the criteria of finding genetically validated new drug achievements in common diseases to develop DNA-based research. Patients will be benefitted most as the identification of diseases will be easier and immediate treatment would start without any delay and risks.
The company has published hundreds of articles to throw light on understanding the correct diagnosis for diseases like Alzheimer, Schizophrenia and other psychological disorders, more than a dozen types of cancer, and coronary artery diseases. These articles are avidly followed by foreign and Icelandic media. They have applauded the contributions of deCODE genetics to society.
In one of their published articles, they specified the behavioral and environment-related risk factors of Type 2 diabetes and heart diseases. The people of Iceland were more than willing to take part in the research program. In 1996, deCODE set up a laboratory with funding from abroad and started operations. Within a very short time, it appointed and genotyped thousands of willing participants, resulting in making quick progress in creating a natural genealogy database and using it for commercial research to support the national health system.