M-CHAT.org launched by Lineagen to accelerate in-office M-CHAT screening of children for signs of Autism Spectrum Disorders

Lineagen, Inc. announces M-CHAT.org, the first fully automated, online version of the Modified Checklist for Autism in Toddlers (M-CHAT), as a new community tool to help families and physicians make the autism screening process more efficient.

SALT LAKE CITY -- Oct 7, 2010 -- Lineagen, Inc. (www.lineagen.com), a specialty diagnostics firm offering high-value genetic testing and consultative health care services for Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD), today announced the launch of a free, online version of the Modified Checklist for Autism in Toddlers, M-CHAT.org, at www.m-chat.org to improve ease of use and expedite the screening process.

M-CHAT.org is the first web-based implementation to offer instant, fully automated online scoring. Other unique features include the ability to view, print and store results in a fully HIPAA compliant platform. The system allows physicians and families to store records for comparison with subsequent M-CHAT screening and use this tool for quality compliance measures now being implemented by many pediatric practices.

M-CHAT is a validated developmental screening questionnaire for the parents of toddlers between 16 and 30 months of age. It is designed to identify children who may benefit from a more thorough assessment for possible early signs of ASD or developmental delay.

The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommends that all children receive autism- specific screening at 18 and 24 months of age, in addition to broad developmental screening at 9, 18, and 24 months. The M-CHAT, one of the AAP’s recommended tools, can be administered and scored as part of a well-child check-up, and also can be used by specialists or other professionals to screen for developmental delay and autism.

Dr. Michael Paul, President and Chief Executive Officer of Lineagen, said “We are delighted to reach out to the community, contributing our resources along with the expertise of the M-CHAT authors, to help physicians and families navigate the complexity of the autism diagnostic process. By offering this easy-to-use form of M-CHAT, our goal is to facilitate earlier screening, which may lead to accelerated diagnosis and appropriate intervention.”
M-CHAT.org was designed with the support of its authors, Drs. Diana Robins, Deborah Fein and Marianne Barton, who commented, "The M-CHAT is designed to be administered to parents or guardians, and interpreted by pediatric providers in the context of developmental surveillance. The online version at M-CHAT.org is approved by the M-CHAT authors."

M-CHAT.org features the latest scoring system, Best7, developed by Dr. Diana Robins, Ph.D., making the results more sensitive in detecting developmental concerns.

About Lineagen

Lineagen, Inc., based in Salt Lake City, sells innovative diagnostic and consultative health care services for Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) to physicians, combining high-value genetic testing with comprehensive, personalized consultative services.

Lineagen is strongly differentiated through its focus on specific disease areas, specialty clinical expertise and potent intellectual property. Lineagen’s competitive advantage com- bines powerful insight into the clinical diagnostic pathways of complex disorders with extensive proprietary and in-licensed genetic research data associating specific gene variants with ASD, Multiple Sclerosis and COPD.

Lineagen addresses a large unmet need for centralization of testing services and expert disease area consultation. Lineagen’s mission is to become a leader in the enablement of earlier and more personalized disease intervention and management for ASD, MS and other complex disorders in which there is established genetic susceptibility.