Tethys looks at a series of biomarkers in the blood to determine the likelihood that someone will develop type 2 diabetes within five years.

 

http://www.tethysbio.com/news_article.html?id=27  

Unlike the genetic make-up of a patient, which doesn't change, Urdea says the information provided by the PreDx test offers insight into biological changes that can signal the onset of diabetes before it happens. This ability gives doctors a way to identify high-risk patients in time so that lifestyle changes and drug therapies can be used to prevent development of the disease.

Edward Kersh, chief of cardiology at St. Luke's Hospital in San Francisco, began using the test in June. When the PreDx test shows a patient to be at high risk for developing diabetes, he says he refers them to the hospital's diabetes clinic for education and to help alter their lifestyles. Traditionally, though, he says getting patients to alter their lifestyle is a challenge — only about 10 percent do so over the long term. Though it's too early to tell, he thinks the PreDx test results will prove to be powerful motivators. "When the patient sees it in black and white on a piece of paper and reads it, they say, 'You mean I'm going to have diabetes in five years? What can I do about it?'" says Kersh. "You can X, Y, and Z, lose weight, exercise more.' They become very motivated to do it."