Startup notes: Assurex, Destination Innovate, TREWGrip

Genome Canada has awarded a $6 million grant to Mason-based Assurex Health and Canada's Centre for Addiction and Mental Health to study the benefits of genetic testing in guiding medication decisions for patients with depression or schizophrenia.

Assurex is the fast-growing startup that helps doctors prescribe the right medications for patients who have depression, ADHD or chronic pain.

The personalized medicine company extracts and analyzes DNA from patient cheek swabs and within 36 hours sends a report through a secure portal to doctors, detailing which medications are most likely to be effective for individual patients, based on his or her genes.

The clinical trial is the first to evaluate Canadian patients, including patients with schizophrenia, using personalized decision guidance provided by Assurex's GeneSight Psychotropic test.

The trial will be conducted at 10 sites throughout Ontario, primarily in Toronto, and will include 1,200 patients.

DESTINATION INNOVATE: Fifty local college students will get a first-hand view of the region's growing innovation ecosystem on Oct. 24 during a day-long bus tour that will make several stops in Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky.

Organizers are part of C-Change, the Cincinnati USA Regional Chamber's leadership development program for young professionals. Click here for more information.

THE MOBILEYS:TREWGrip, which makes a handheld keyboard and air mouse, is among 10 finalists in Mobile Future's innovation competition, called The Mobileys. The top three companies win $10,000, $5,000 and $2,500 respectively from a panel of judges. One company will also win the people's choice award, worth $2,500. Voting for that award closed Friday.