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Sonora Quest Laboratories Partners with Exagen to Provide Solutions to Arizona Rheumatologists and their Patients

Tuesday, October 13, 2020   |   Category:

PHOENIX (October 13, 2020) – Sonora Quest Laboratories, the market share leader in diagnostic laboratory testing in Arizona, has announced an exclusive partnership with Exagen Inc. (Nasdaq: XGN), an organization dedicated to transforming the care continuum for patients suffering from debilitating and chronic autoimmune diseases. The partnership will expand access to Exagen’s AVISE portfolio of innovative products to rheumatologists and their patients in Arizona.

AVISE guides providers and rheumatologists in the optimization of the patient care journey through the differential diagnosis, prognosis and management of complex autoimmune diseases. 

“There is an overlap in health care disparities between the patient population at risk for Rheumatoid Arthritis, other autoimmune diseases, and COVID-19,” said Christina Noble, Chief Growth Officer, Sonora Quest Laboratories. “Offering access to Exagen’s AVISE portfolio on an in-network basis provides patients with expanded access to facilities and services, and enables rheumatologists to improve patient care with an earlier, more accurate diagnosis. With COVID-19 still a serious concern, this offering could not be timelier.”

Experts believe that the more underlying health conditions a person has, the higher their chance of having serious complications from COVID-19. In an effort to reduce the number of visits to the doctor’s office many physicians are requesting Exagen testing ahead of the consultation to more quickly identify the underlying autoimmune conditions and implement a patient management plan to address and monitor the patient’s progress for improved outcomes. 

More than 80 diseases occur as a result of the immune system attacking the body’s own organs, tissues, and cells. Some of the more common autoimmune diseases include type 1 diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis, systemic lupus erythematosus, and inflammatory bowel disease. The AVISE portfolio offers a unique opportunity to positively impact the health disparities for at risk patients of autoimmune diseases.

“Exagen is excited to partner with Sonora Quest to offer this advanced testing solution to its provider and patient networks,” said Exagen President and CEO Ron Rocca. “The AVISE suite of tests is one of the most innovative on the market and our goal is to positively impact patient outcomes and ultimately save more lives.”

About Sonora Quest Laboratories
Sonora Quest Laboratories, a joint venture between Banner Health and Quest Diagnostics (NYSE: DGX), is part of the nation’s largest integrated laboratory system with approximately 3,500 employees serving more than 26,000 patients every day throughout Arizona. Sonora Quest Laboratories is the market share leader in clinical laboratory testing in Arizona, performing nearly 90 million diagnostic tests per year. Sonora Quest Laboratories offers a local comprehensive test menu which encompasses routine, molecular, prescription drug monitoring, genetic/genomic, women’s health and pathology testing services. My Lab ReQuest provides consumers direct access to a diverse range of affordable screening tests that can be ordered online at SonoraQuest.com or in any of Sonora Quest’s 75 patient service centers across Arizona. Ninety-eight percent of all testing is performed at the primary testing facilities located in Phoenix, Tucson, Flagstaff, Prescott and Yuma. Sonora Quest Laboratories is accredited by the College of American Pathologists (CAP), which is the gold standard in laboratory accreditation, helping laboratories to maintain accuracy of test results and ensure accurate patient diagnosis. This accreditation ensures the highest standard of care for all laboratory patients as CAP inspectors examine laboratory staff.

About Exagen Inc.

Exagen is dedicated to transforming the care continuum for patients suffering from debilitating and chronic autoimmune diseases by enabling timely differential diagnosis and optimizing therapeutic intervention. Exagen has developed and is commercializing a portfolio of innovative testing products under its AVISE® brand, several of which are based on its proprietary Cell-Bound Complement Activation Products, or CB-CAPs, technology. Exagen’s goal is to enable rheumatologists to improve care for patients through the differential diagnosis, prognosis and monitoring of complex autoimmune and autoimmune-related diseases, including SLE and rheumatoid arthritis.