Comprehensive metabolic screening for newborn babies

This is the first diagnostics service launched by Cordlife, which underscores the Group’s commitment to safeguarding the well-being of its clients from the day the baby is born. Branded as Metascreen, the service is a comprehensive and non-invasive metabolic screening test for babies up to six months old.

Unlike traditional newborn metabolic blood tests, Metascreen uses babies' urine as test specimens. In metabolic biochemistry, the human body has complex homeostatic mechanisms, which rapidly excrete excess amounts of redundant or toxic compounds. These compounds are not found in significant quantities in blood, but large amounts are present in urine. This makes urine testing a superior method to standard blood testing for metabolic disorder detection.

About one in every 1,250 babies is expected to be born with a metabolic disorder.⁶ Babies with such disorders may look normal but they lack the enzymes to maintain normal metabolic functions, resulting in a build-up of toxic substances or deficiency of critical substances. Though rare, untreated metabolic disorders can cause serious developmental issues and lifelong complications such as mental retardation, physical disability and in some instances, death. Early-stage detection enables doctors to treat disorders in a timely fashion.

Metascreen is a highly accurate screening test. The test is performed by combining US FDA-approved Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry with proprietary Planar Diagnostic Tool to detect up to 106 metabolic disorders. Tests are conducted by Hong Kong Screening Centre (“HKSC”), a Cordlife subsidiary, which has a quality management system in place to ensure accurate results. HKSC is accredited by College of American Pathologists since October 2016.

6. This cumulative incidence rate is based on Meta100+ panel of metabolic disorders.