The co-founder of NalaGenetics wants to redefine self-care and wellness by making genetic testing as common as a blood test

“If people are willing to spend $200 on a facial, why wouldn’t they invest in something that could literally save their life?” Levana Sani isn’t asking for effect. The co-founder of NalaGenetics has spent years trying to answer that very question — why people see self-care as a matter of skin creams and detox teas rather than a fundamental understanding of their own biology.

It’s a question that cuts to the core of her work: Bringing personalised medicine to the masses, not as a luxury, but as a routine part of healthcare.

Her conviction is personal. Her grandfather, once an active, independent man, fell victim to a common but devastating mistake: a misprescribed drug. He had been given an anti-arrhythmia medication, but the dosage wasn’t calibrated for Asian patients. When his condition worsened, doctors responded with more medication, compounding the problem. 

The cocktail of drugs led to a neurological disorder resembling Parkinson’s. When he reached the United States, where a doctor stripped away the unnecessary prescriptions, it was too late. A fall took his life.

Levana’s co-founder had a similar experience. Her father was prescribed an incorrect dosage of blood thinners, and he suffered spinal bleeding that left him paraplegic. These stories weren’t anomalies — they were symptoms of a systemic problem.

“Our data shows that about 30 per cent of the individuals we test have deficiencies in metabolising common drugs like blood thinners or statins,” she explains. “That’s been validated across multiple scientific publications.” Yet, in much of Asia, pharmacogenomics is still not part of routine healthcare.

Making genetics matter

That’s what NalaGenetics is trying to change. Founded to make genetic testing accessible and actionable, the company is focused on precision medicine — ensuring that treatments are tailored to a person’s genetic makeup, particularly in a region where much of the existing medical data is based on Western populations.

The company started with personalised medication but has since expanded into chronic diseases and oncology, offering solutions that range from cardiac risk assessments to cancer screenings.

But breaking into healthcare is more complex than simply developing the science. “Doctors specialise in specific fields, and naturally, when someone comes along and suggests that maybe what they’ve been doing can be improved with a new tool, they resist,” Levana says. That’s why NalaGenetics aligns its work with established medical guidelines, ensuring that global standards back every recommendation.

Yet, despite the mounting evidence, widespread adoption remains slow. “In the UK, nearly every newborn is sequenced. In the US, Medicare reimburses pharmacogenomics. It’s just a matter of time before this region catches up,” she says. The challenge lies in integrating genetic testing into daily medical practice without increasing costs or consultation times — a logistical hurdle in many Asian healthcare systems.

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The evolution of genetic testing

Still, the road to normalising genetic testing hasn’t been without its missteps. A decade ago, direct-to-consumer DNA testing was positioned as a wellness trend, with companies marketing tests for ancestry and vague health insights. “Genomics was this ‘sexy’ thing when it first became commercialised.

But now, after the initial hype, people ask: What’s the actual impact?” For her, wellness isn’t about vanity metrics or lifestyle tweaks — it’s about risk reduction.

Take CardiacReady, one of NalaGenetics’ key products. It measures the likelihood of premature cardiovascular death. “I know that sounds morbid, but this is wellness — just not in the way most people think about it,” she says. “A lot of people associate wellness with supplements, but there’s also this whole side focused on reducing risk for major diseases like cancer, metabolic disorders, and psychiatric conditions.” Understanding risk early and taking action, she argues, is the most pragmatic definition of longevity.

Still, genetic insights are only as valuable as the changes they prompt. “Taking statins won’t help much if someone eats terribly and never exercises,” she says. That’s why NalaGenetics balances clinical recommendations with lifestyle interventions, offering guidance on nutrition and fitness alongside its diagnostic reports. The goal is to make genetic testing not a one-off curiosity but a habitual part of long-term healthcare planning.

Beyond its individual applications, the company also targets a much larger audience: corporate healthcare. NalaGenetics has already started working with insurance providers to integrate genetic testing into employee wellness programmes. Levana sees this as a key avenue for adoption — if genetic testing becomes a standard part of workplace health benefits, people will be more likely to see it as routine rather than revolutionary.

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The inevitable future

For Levana, one of the biggest misconceptions is that genetic testing is purely diagnostic. “A lot of people assume it’s just ancestry or entertainment-based testing. But in some cases, genomics isn’t just interesting — it’s a matter of life and death.” She recalls a corporate client in her 40s who suffered from severe GERD (gastroesophageal reflux disease).

After years of ineffective medication, a genetic test revealed she was intolerant to lactose, gluten, and caffeine — staples of her daily breakfast. Removing them, alongside adjusting her prescription, solved a condition that had plagued her for years.

Stories like these fuel NalaGenetics’ mission. The company has launched its own clinic to ensure patients have access to genetic counsellors, a resource still lacking in much of Asia. But the real battle is changing public perception. “I went through a period where I was just angry,” Levana admits. “Angry at how slow things were moving. At how people didn’t get it.”

But she also understands that change takes time. “One day, you’ll go to a cardiovascular doctor, and without even thinking about it, they’ll swab you for a DNA test before prescribing your medication.

It won’t be some big decision; it’ll be as routine as checking your blood pressure.” That’s the future she envisions — one where genetic testing is not trendy but standard, and precision medicine is not a privilege but a given.