SAN DIEGO, Oct. 5 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Nanogen, Inc. today announced its SynX subsidiary was issued U.S. Patent No. 6,780,606, "Method for Diagnosing and Distinguishing Stroke and Diagnostic Devices for Use Therein," by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. The '606 patent relates to a diagnostic device that measures protein biomarkers to determine whether a patient has had a stroke and, if so, whether it was an ischemic or hemorrhagic cerebral event. SynX is developing a rapid, point-of-care diagnostic test for stroke that would be used in emergency medicine.
The patent covers the method of analyzing the levels of proteins released from the brain during a stroke, as detected in a sample of a patient's blood or cerebral spinal fluid. The proteins include myelin basic protein, S100 protein, neuronal specific enolase, and a brain endothelial membrane protein such as thrombomodulin or a similar molecule. The data obtained from the analyses of these proteins provide information as to the type of stroke, the onset of occurrence and the extent of brain damage, and allow a physician to quickly determine the type of treatment required. A rapid and accurate diagnostic for stroke currently does not exist, and hospitals are limited to clinical consultation by neurologist, symptom evaluation, chest X-ray, electrical heart activity (ECG) tests, and expensive imaging technology to belatedly confirm events.
"SynX's growing patent portfolio related to its stroke diagnostic helps secure its early-mover advantage in developing what could be an incredibly valuable healthcare tool," said Howard C. Birndorf, Nanogen chairman and chief executive officer. "A rapid diagnostic could improve the long-term health of the estimated 700,000 Americans a year who experience a stroke. Critical information obtained by a rapid, point-of-care diagnostic would help physicians identify the type of stroke so that they can prescribe the appropriate therapeutic drugs or course of treatment as soon as possible."
About Nanogen, Inc.
Nanogen develops advanced in vitro diagnostics to provide physicians and patients worldwide with sophisticated information to predict, diagnose and treat disease. Research and clinical reference labs use the highly accurate and reliable NanoChip(R) Molecular Biology Workstation and NanoChip(R) Electronic Microarray to develop tests to detect genetic mutations associated with a variety of diseases, such as cystic fibrosis, Alzheimer's and cardiovascular disease. Nanogen's subsidiary SynX offers a line of point-of-care antibody-based diagnostic tests and is building expertise in cardiac related health conditions. Nanogen's ten years of pioneering research involving nanotechnology may also have future applications in medical diagnostics, biowarfare and other industries. For additional information please visit Nanogen's website at http://www.nanogen.com/.
Forward-Looking Statement
This press release contains forward-looking statements that are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those set forth in the forward-looking statements, including whether patents owned or licensed by Nanogen will be developed into products, whether the patents owned by Nanogen offer any protection against competitors with competing technologies, whether Nanogen's NanoChip(R) System can be successfully further commercialized, whether other products under development can be successfully developed and commercialized, whether results reported by our customers or partners can be identically replicated, whether ASRs currently sold by Nanogen will become FDA-approved molecular diagnostic test kits, whether Nanogen will be successful in developing additional ASRs and protocols utilizing the NanoChip(R) System, and other risks and uncertainties discussed under the caption "Factors That May Affect Results" and elsewhere in Nanogen's Form 10-K or Form 10-Q most recently filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission. These forward-looking statements speak only as of the date hereof. Nanogen disclaims any intent or obligation to update these forward-looking statements.
Nanogen, Inc.CONTACT: Robert Saltmarsh, VP Corporate Development of Nanogen,+1-858-410-4600, rsaltmarsh@nanogen.com; or Rod Wilson, President & COO ofSynX, +1-416-798-3445, ext. 206, rwilson@synxpharma.com; or Pam Lord of Atkins+ Associates, +1-858-527-3494, plord@irpr.com, for Nanogen
Web site: http://www.nanogen.com/
