Quanterix Digital ELISA Measures Low Abundance Biomarkers Of Inflammation In Crohn's Disease

Main Category: Crohn's / IBD
Article Date: 20 Aug 2011 - 0:00 PDT


Quanterix Corporation, a company enabling a new generation of molecular diagnostic tests based on its revolutionary Single Molecule Array (SiMoA™) technology, announced results of a pilot study to measure biomarkers of inflammation from patients with Crohn's disease. The precise measurement of low abundance cytokines, which was possible using Quanterix's high sensitivity digital ELISA, allowed significant changes to be detected in patients before and after initiation of therapy. The study was published online in the Journal of Immunological Methods.

"Quanterix's digital ELISA enabled physiologically relevant concentrations of two important cytokines, TNF-alpha and IL-6, to be measured in plasma from all patient samples tested. Previous studies have not been able to quantify these biomarkers in all patients due to insufficient sensitivity," explained David Duffy, Ph.D., corresponding author of the study. "The inherent sensitivity of this technology also made it possible, for the first time, to accurately quantify changes in protein levels during the course of anti-TNF-alpha therapy. This work has important implications for patient management, including the ability to provide a quantitative index for how an individual is responding to therapy."

"Our collaboration with the Mayo Clinic is another example that highlights how unprecedented sensitivity enables important contributions to life science research and in vitro diagnostics," said Martin Madaus, Ph.D., Quanterix Executive Chairman. "Although larger studies will be needed to fully understand the potential utility of cytokine measurements in the diagnosis of inflammatory diseases such as Crohn's, these results provide some indication of how sensitive and precise protein measurements enabled by SiMoA could be used clinically."

Source: Quanterix Corporation

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