Helix's Research Access Program Offers Clinicogenomic Data Access to a Select Group of Academic Researchers

This program gives select researchers access to North America's largest available clinicogenomic dataset powering research on CDC Tier 1 conditions, GLP-1 response, and more including new studies presented at ASHG 2026

SAN MATEO, Calif., Nov. 11, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Helix, the leading enterprise precision medicine company, today announced the launch of its Research Access Program, which invites academic and nonprofit researchers to apply for access to linked clinicogenomic data from the Helix Research Network^® for approved research projects. Access is provided through the Helix^® Research Workspaces, the new Trusted Research Environment (TRE) for population-scale clinicogenomic research.

The launch follows new clinical research presented at the American Society of Human Genetics (ASHG) 2026 Annual Meeting, drawn from the same Helix Research Network data. One study, presented at the ASHG opening plenary, provides large-scale, real-world evidence that population genomic screening can drive earlier preventive care for common, actionable conditions. A separate study highlights how rare genetic variants may help inform response to GLP-1s.

Researchers can register interest in the program here.

"By expanding secure access to our clinicogenomic data through the Helix Research Access Program, we aim to help the academic community accelerate discoveries that can improve care for more patients," said William Lee, Ph.D., Chief Science and Product Officer at Helix. "These studies demonstrate the practical power of genomics at scale: identifying people with actionable health risks before disease emerges, helping clinicians intervene earlier and generating the evidence needed to advance more personalized care."

Helix Research Access Program: A Pilot Program to Enable Access to North America's Largest Available Clinicogenomic Dataset

The Research Access Program invites a select group of academic researchers to work with linked clinicogenomic data from the Helix Research Network.

• Who can apply: Researchers from non-commercial research institutions. Access is granted to a limited number of approved projects.
• What they get: Access to Helix's linked clinicogenomic datasets through the TRE in Explorer.
• What they can do: Securely explore the genetic basis of disease, characterize genetic variation across clinical populations and generate new evidence to support precision medicine research.
• How to start: Register interest in the program, or learn more about Explorer.

What the Data Shows: Genomic Screening Drives Earlier Preventive Care for CDC Tier 1 Conditions

During the ASHG 2026 opening plenary session, Helix revealed a three-year outcomes study focused on 527K participants screened for Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Tier 1 conditions. These conditions include Hereditary Breast and Ovarian Cancer (HBOC), Lynch Syndrome (LS), and Familial Hypercholesterolemia (FH), which are associated with elevated lifetime risk of cancer or cardiovascular disease.

The study identified participants with higher genetic risk who had no documented family history or had not yet developed symptoms. Helix observed that population genomic screening was associated with consistent clinical impact across multiple independent health systems.

Key findings include:

• Earlier and more frequent screening: After receiving a positive genetic result, carriers were more likely than non-carriers to begin condition-specific screening. In addition, for those with HBOC and Lynch syndrome, the median age of preventive cancer screening is 5-10 years younger after return of results compared to before return of results.
• More preventive interventions: Within one year of receiving results, the share of eligible carriers who start or intensify preventative treatment or undergo risk-reducing surgery nearly doubled, from roughly 1 in 5 to 1 in 3.
• Genetic results drove the change: Non-carriers experienced no meaningful changes in screening or treatment, suggesting that the genetic result, not enrollment in a screening program alone, prompted clinical actions.
• Higher detection of previously unrecognized disease: Among participants who began condition-specific screening, carriers were six to eight times more likely than non-carriers to have a finding within one year (adjusted for age, sex and ancestry): 32.6% vs. 5.6% for elevated LDL cholesterol (160 mg/dL or higher) in FH, 4.2% vs. 0.7% for breast cancer in HBOC, and 2.1% vs. 0.3% for colorectal cancer in Lynch syndrome.

What the Data Shows: Genetic Variation May Explain Differences in GLP-1 Treatment Response

Another study presented at ASHG 2026 found that rare genetic variants affecting the GLP-1 receptor (GLP1R) may influence weight loss response to semaglutide, while response to tirzepatide was unaffected.

Semaglutide acts through the GLP-1 receptor, while tirzepatide activates both the GLP-1 and glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide (GIP) receptors. The results provide genetic evidence that impaired GLP-1 receptor function may help explain why some patients experience less weight loss with semaglutide, and why an alternative therapy may be more effective for certain individuals.

Key findings include:

• Reduced response to semaglutide: Participants with rare GLP1R variants associated with impaired receptor function lost significantly less weight on semaglutide (2.4% vs. 8.8% weight loss in matched non-carriers).
• Unaffected response to tirzepatide: GLP1R variant carriers responded normally to tirzepatide (13.3% vs. 15.2% weight loss in matched non-carriers).
• No observed effect from GIPR variants: Variants affecting the GIP receptor (GIPR) were not associated with differential response to either medicine.

ASHG 2026 presentations: "CDCT1 Screening in 527K participants: A 3-year outcomes study,"" plenary presentation, Oct. 20, 2026. "Rare GLP1R variants selectively attenuate weight loss with semaglutide but not tirzepatide, implicating GIP receptor agonism as a compensatory mechanism," platform presentation, Oct. 22, 2026.

About Helix:

Helix is the leading enterprise genomics platform. The company transforms health systems and enables life science organizations to leverage the power of genomics across their enterprise, creating strategic value and fueling future growth. The Helix Research Network^® – the largest precision health network in the world – accelerates genomic discoveries and translates them into real-world clinical impact. Through the Helix Research Access Program, researchers at non-commercial institutions can apply for access to its linked clinicogenomic data. Learn more at www.helix.com.

Media Contact: helix@teamhighwire.com

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