Georgetown University Medical Center

Biomarkers for Predicting Cardiovascular Risk

Section: For Industry

Categories: "Cardiovascular Diseases" "Diagnostics"

Reference #: 2001-011

OTC Contact: Ruchika Nijhara, Ph.D. (Directory Information | Send a Message)

Description

The invention identifies a set of novel biomarkers reflecting multiple disease pathways, each of which can help to identify the risk of an individual having coronary artery disease (CAD), acute myocardinal infarction (AMI) or stroke. Further, Georgetown investigators devised a strategy of combining the biomarkers that increases predictive power for risk stratification. The invention is of commercial value since the traditional risk factors for such diseases are of no or little predictive value.

Applications

Prognosis of CAD, AMI or stroke

Advantages

  • High sensitivity
  • Highly specificity
  • Target multiple disease pathways, each of which is important in the genesis of atherosclerosis.
  • The prognosis test can be performed on blood samples.

Stage of Development

Studies in patients done over a period of 3 year to demonstrate that certain pathogens predispose patients to CAD and AMI. Further, studies identified that whereas higher levels of HSP60 increases the risk of CAD in women, higher level of HSP70 lowers the risk of having CAD. Other physiological markers such as PPARγ, resistin, etc are shown used to predict the risk of CAD and AMI. Some of the markers are shown to be gender specific. Further, the studies show that combined use of some set of markers increase sensitivity and reliability of risk prediction.

Relevant Publications

“C-Reactive protein, insulin resistance, and metabolic syndrome in a population with a high burden of subclinical infection: insights from the Genetics of Coronary Artery Disease in Alaska Natives (GOCADAN) study”. Epstein et al.,Diabetes Care. 2008 Dec;31(12):2312-4.

"Prevalence and persistence of antibodies to herpes viruses, Chlamydia pneumoniae and Helicobacter pylori in Alaskan Eskimos: the GOCADAN Study”. Epstein et al., Clin Microbiol Infect. 2006 Feb;12(2):118-22.

"The potential role of resistin in atherogenesis”. Epstein et al., Atherosclerosis. 2005 Oct;182(2):241-8.

"Murine cytomegalovirus infection increases aortic expression of proatherosclerotic genes”. Epstein et al., Circulation. 2004 Feb 24;109(7):893-7.

"Association of serum antibodies to heat-shock protein 65 with coronary calcification levels: suggestion of pathogen-triggered autoimmunity in early atherosclerosis”. Epstein et al.,Circulation. 2004 Jan 6;109(1):36-41.

"Increased serum levels of heat shock protein 70 are associated with low risk of coronary artery disease”. Epstein et al.,Arterioscler Thromb Vasc Biol. 2003 Jun 1;23(6):1055-9.

"Antibodies to human heat-shock protein 60 are associated with the presence and severity of coronary artery disease: evidence for an autoimmune component of atherogenesis”. Epstein et al.,Circulation. 2001 Feb 27;103(8):1071-5.

Patent Status

Patent protection in United States, Europe, Canada, Hong Kong, and South Korea.