Johns Hopkins University And Axela Enter Into Cardiac Research Agreement

Main Category: Cardiovascular / Cardiology
Also Included In: Clinical Trials / Drug Trials
Article Date: 17 Aug 2008 - 0:00 PDT

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Researchers from the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine have entered into an agreement with Axela Inc. to use dotLab® technology in a clinical trial that evaluates circulating cardiac Troponin complexes (cTn) directly in patient samples. Dr. Jennifer Van Eyk, Director of the Johns Hopkins NHLBI Proteomics Center (JHNBPC) in Baltimore, U.S.A., is the lead researcher for this trial. The trial will look at the prognostic value of Troponin complexes as well as post translational modifications to cardiac Troponin I (cTnI) in patients with Acute Myocardial Infarction (AMI).

Troponin is a complex of three proteins (cTnI, cTnC, and cTnT) that is integral to the contraction of cardiac muscle, and is released into the blood upon cardiac muscle necrosis and cell death. Importantly, the novel dotLab assay can directly detect circulating cTnI bound to cTnC and cTnT in the serum of patients with AMI. The assay being used in the project is also able to probe the integrity of cTnI and determine if the protein is degraded by looking for the presence of specific epitopes.

"We look forward to the results from this trial and believe it will provide a valuable prognostic tool for the treatment of heart attacks that impact so many lives," said Rocky Ganske, Axela CEO. "The dotLab System's unique ability to measure protein complexes directly in serum in a single test not only has the potential to significantly impact heart attack treatment protocols, but could also be applied to many other diseases. The trial reinforces Axela's objective of commercializing novel diagnostic targets in the area of personalized medicine." Johns Hopkins University has granted Axela the option to negotiate exclusive rights to intellectual property resulting from the trial.

According to the American Heart Association, AMI alone affects over eight million Americans per year. Preliminary results characterizing the circulating form of cardiac Troponin complexes will be presented at the "Cardiovascular Proteome Biology" session on August 18 as part of the HUPO 2008 7th World Congress in Amsterdam, Netherlands, August 16 - 20. (Visit Axela at Booth 104)

About Axela Inc.

Axela has commercialized a proprietary technology for real-time protein detection. The company's products provide life science and clinical researchers with simple tools and reagents to study interactions, expand the utility of traditional immunoassays, and access unique categories of diagnostic markers. Participating in the research market provides a pipeline of novel discoveries that form the basis for future multiplex diagnostic offerings. Axela is a privately-held company with operations in Toronto and California whose major investor is VenGrowth Private Equity Partners Inc. For more information, please visit www.axela.com.

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