RayBiotech And Satoris Announce Collaboration To Develop And Commercialize Early Alzheimer's Test

Main Category: Alzheimer's / Dementia
Also Included In: Pharma Industry / Biotech Industry
Article Date: 17 Apr 2009 - 6:00 PDT

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RayBiotech, Inc., a leading developer and supplier of multiplex protein detection arrays and array-based test kits, and Satoris, Inc., a molecular diagnostics company focused on developing blood-based tests for Alzheimer's disease, and, announced that they intend to cooperate in developing and commercializing an Alzheimer's detection blood test based on Satoris' proprietary plasma biomarkers.

Satoris researchers first reported the utility of Alzheimer's related biomarkers in the November, 2007 edition of the peer-reviewed scientific journal, Nature Medicine. In the reported study, researchers analyzed 259 stored blood samples, comparing those from individuals with presymptomatic to late-stage Alzheimer's disease with those from individuals without the disease. Using a technique known as signal profiling that was enabled by RayBiotech Cytokine Antibody Arrays, they were able to simultaneously measure the relative abundance of 120 known proteins found in plasma that function as chemical messengers between blood cells, brain cells, and cells of the immune system.

Among the 120 plasma markers measured in the Nature Medicine study, a panel of 18 exhibited an expression pattern that was statistically different in the Alzheimer's samples versus other samples. This panel of 18 biomarkers was used to predict the presence of the disease in a test sample set with nearly 90 percent accuracy.

In the collaboration with RayBiotech, the panel of 18 biomarkers will be applied to the proprietary RayBiotech Quantibody® array platform. After validating performance of the resulting array-based test, it will initially be commercialized later this year as a research-use-only test, to support Alzheimer's research, and Alzheimer's drug development and clinical trials. RayBiotech will sell the test kit, while Satoris will use the array, together with proprietary bioinformatic analysis tools, to offer a testing service.

"RayBiotech is a recognized leader in the protein array field and we are pleased to be collaborating with them in the adaptation of our proprietary biomarkers to their platform," said Cris McReynolds, President & CEO of Satoris. "Their arrays have been integral to the discovery and validation of our Alzheimer's biomarkers, so it is natural that we utilize their platform and our markers in the configuration of a valuable Alzheimer's detection blood test."

"We are extremely excited and enthusiastic about working with Satoris, a leader in biomarker discovery for neurodegenerative diseases," says Dr. Ray (Ruo-Pan) Huang, Founder and President of RayBiotech, Inc. "We expect this blood test will be well received as a valuable tool in Alzheimer's research and, potentially, as a diagnostic test as well." Dr. Huang also sees this as a model for future biomarker discoveries, "Using antibody-based approaches, more biomarkers can be identified, validated and put into clinical application faster and cheaper than with traditional methods based on mass spectrometry."

About Alzheimer's Disease

There is no cure for Alzheimer's, a degenerative brain disease that affects an estimated 3.1 million people in the U.S. and 26 million worldwide. Experts predict the toll may more than quadruple by 2050 as the population grays. Since its destructive effects may exist years before symptoms are apparent, substantial damage can occur prior to diagnosis. Alzheimer's diagnosis is currently costly and is largely dependent on the expertise of the physician. As a result, it is estimated that only 60 percent of cases are diagnosed, leaving over 1.5 million patients undiagnosed. Scientists hope that early diagnosis may ultimately lead to more effective therapies to slow the disease's progression or to manage existing symptoms.

Source
Brett Burkholder
Dir. Marketing & Business Development
RayBiotech, Inc.

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