Paris, France, September 21, 2009 – Aterovax SA, a company developing innovative products for atherosclerosis, today announced the presentation of data from recent clinical studies that continues to support the role of secreted phospholipase A2 (sPLA2) in predicting cardiovascular (CV) risk. sPLA2 is a family of pro-inflammatory enzymes linked to the formation and destabilization of atherosclerotic plaques. Aterovax presented data yesterday at the PreMed2009 congress (September 18-20, Lisbon, Portugal) from a study to determine reference levels of sPLA2 activity in healthy individuals.
Using the Aterovax sPLA2 activity test, scientists assessed a total of 482 plasma samples from 242 females and 240 males of varying age and ethnicity. The data show that in the total population, sPLA2 activity values ranged from 10.6 to 79.9 U/mL. The median values for females and males were 35.0 U/mL and 32.6 U/mL, respectively, indicating gender difference. No statistically significant trend towards ethnicity or age was observed.
“With more and more clinical evidence showing the role of sPLA2 activity as a predictor of cardiovascular events, it is important to clearly define levels of enzyme activity in the healthy population. Our easy to use sPLA2 activity test, is able to quickly and efficiently determine sPLA2 activity levels and supports earlier evidence of a gender bias toward more activity in women,” Dominique Surun, CEO of Aterovax explained. “Our test, which is now available for research use, has been used to determine sPLA2 activity levels in several major clinical studies, including one recently published in the European Heart Journal and a study presented at ESC."
The study published in the European Heart Journal, which involved testing for sPLA2 activity in 1024 patients with coronary heart disease (CHD) over a period of 4.1 years, demonstrated that elevated concentrations of sPLA2 protein and activity in serum showed a significant increased risk for secondary CV events (death, non-fatal myocardial infarction (MI) or non-fatal stroke).
At the European Society of Cardiology meeting in Barcelona, Spain (29 August – 2 September, 2009), a study to determine the impact of sPLA2 activity and the variation in the PLA2G2A gene, which encodes sPLA2, in the acute phase of MI on risk of patient death and recurrent MI was presented. Following assessment of 1,029 patients, the researchers found that those with medium to high levels of sPLA2 activity had an increased risk of death or recurrent MI of 1.66 and 2.00, respectively. The researchers also found one specific variation in the gene (allele C763) that when present was associated with increased sPLA2 activity.
The European Heart Journal paper and ESC abstract are available on request.
About Atherosclerosis and sPLA2
Although clinical complications of atherosclerosis can arise from narrowing of the arteries, the most severe clinical events follow the rupture of a plaque. Inflammation, which is implicated in the formation of early fatty streaks as well as at the onset of adverse cardiovascular events, causes cells within the plaque to secrete enzymes that degrade and weaken the fibrous cap, leading to rupture of unstable plaques and thrombus (clot) formation. Ruptured plaques are the cause of acute coronary events and sudden cardiac death. However, thrombotic complications that arise from rupture or fissure (small rupture) of a vulnerable plaque may be clinically silent, yet contribute significantly to plaque progression and ultimately stenosis. It is therefore important to identify patients in whom disruption of a vulnerable plaque is likely to result in a clinical event.
The phospholipases A2 (PLA2) superfamily of enzymes plays a key role in the inflammatory process by generating chemical intermediates. By detecting the activity of secreted PLA2 (sPLA2), the risk of experiencing a cardiovascular event can be determined. Recently, nine large independent international clinical studies, both in clinical and non-clinical populations, demonstrated the strong positive correlation existing between sPLA2 activity and atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease.
About Aterovax
Aterovax is developing innovative products for the cardiovascular disease market based on a unique understanding of atherosclerosis, the condition responsible for most cardiovascular problems. Aterovax’s first product is a diagnostic blood test to measure activity of secreted phospholipase A2 (sPLA2), a powerful biomarker that provides physicians with clinically relevant information about the presence of a destabilized atherosclerotic plaque. Detecting and measuring this complex processes is critical to monitoring the pathology of atherosclerosis. Currently, the sPLA2 activity test is only available for research applications however, when approved by regulatory authorities will be used to diagnose coronary heart disease in asymptomatic individuals and to predict pathological events in patients with existing cardiovascular disease. In the future, Aterovax aims to leverage its expertise to develop additional immunotherapeutic products that prevent atherosclerotic plaque formation and progression, thereby covering the continuum from cardiovascular disease diagnosis to treatment. The Company was founded in Paris, France in 2006 with financing from the SEFTI fund, a specialist European cardiovascular fund from Société Générale Asset Management. For more information visit www.aterovax.com.
Using the Aterovax sPLA2 activity test, scientists assessed a total of 482 plasma samples from 242 females and 240 males of varying age and ethnicity. The data show that in the total population, sPLA2 activity values ranged from 10.6 to 79.9 U/mL. The median values for females and males were 35.0 U/mL and 32.6 U/mL, respectively, indicating gender difference. No statistically significant trend towards ethnicity or age was observed.
“With more and more clinical evidence showing the role of sPLA2 activity as a predictor of cardiovascular events, it is important to clearly define levels of enzyme activity in the healthy population. Our easy to use sPLA2 activity test, is able to quickly and efficiently determine sPLA2 activity levels and supports earlier evidence of a gender bias toward more activity in women,” Dominique Surun, CEO of Aterovax explained. “Our test, which is now available for research use, has been used to determine sPLA2 activity levels in several major clinical studies, including one recently published in the European Heart Journal and a study presented at ESC."
The study published in the European Heart Journal, which involved testing for sPLA2 activity in 1024 patients with coronary heart disease (CHD) over a period of 4.1 years, demonstrated that elevated concentrations of sPLA2 protein and activity in serum showed a significant increased risk for secondary CV events (death, non-fatal myocardial infarction (MI) or non-fatal stroke).
At the European Society of Cardiology meeting in Barcelona, Spain (29 August – 2 September, 2009), a study to determine the impact of sPLA2 activity and the variation in the PLA2G2A gene, which encodes sPLA2, in the acute phase of MI on risk of patient death and recurrent MI was presented. Following assessment of 1,029 patients, the researchers found that those with medium to high levels of sPLA2 activity had an increased risk of death or recurrent MI of 1.66 and 2.00, respectively. The researchers also found one specific variation in the gene (allele C763) that when present was associated with increased sPLA2 activity.
The European Heart Journal paper and ESC abstract are available on request.
About Atherosclerosis and sPLA2
Although clinical complications of atherosclerosis can arise from narrowing of the arteries, the most severe clinical events follow the rupture of a plaque. Inflammation, which is implicated in the formation of early fatty streaks as well as at the onset of adverse cardiovascular events, causes cells within the plaque to secrete enzymes that degrade and weaken the fibrous cap, leading to rupture of unstable plaques and thrombus (clot) formation. Ruptured plaques are the cause of acute coronary events and sudden cardiac death. However, thrombotic complications that arise from rupture or fissure (small rupture) of a vulnerable plaque may be clinically silent, yet contribute significantly to plaque progression and ultimately stenosis. It is therefore important to identify patients in whom disruption of a vulnerable plaque is likely to result in a clinical event.
The phospholipases A2 (PLA2) superfamily of enzymes plays a key role in the inflammatory process by generating chemical intermediates. By detecting the activity of secreted PLA2 (sPLA2), the risk of experiencing a cardiovascular event can be determined. Recently, nine large independent international clinical studies, both in clinical and non-clinical populations, demonstrated the strong positive correlation existing between sPLA2 activity and atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease.
About Aterovax
Aterovax is developing innovative products for the cardiovascular disease market based on a unique understanding of atherosclerosis, the condition responsible for most cardiovascular problems. Aterovax’s first product is a diagnostic blood test to measure activity of secreted phospholipase A2 (sPLA2), a powerful biomarker that provides physicians with clinically relevant information about the presence of a destabilized atherosclerotic plaque. Detecting and measuring this complex processes is critical to monitoring the pathology of atherosclerosis. Currently, the sPLA2 activity test is only available for research applications however, when approved by regulatory authorities will be used to diagnose coronary heart disease in asymptomatic individuals and to predict pathological events in patients with existing cardiovascular disease. In the future, Aterovax aims to leverage its expertise to develop additional immunotherapeutic products that prevent atherosclerotic plaque formation and progression, thereby covering the continuum from cardiovascular disease diagnosis to treatment. The Company was founded in Paris, France in 2006 with financing from the SEFTI fund, a specialist European cardiovascular fund from Société Générale Asset Management. For more information visit www.aterovax.com.
