SOUTH SAN FRANCISCO, Calif., May 30 /PRNewswire/ -- diaDexus, Inc. announced today that the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office issued U.S. Patent No. 7,052,862, covering methods of diagnosing a patient's susceptibility for developing an atherosclerotic disease, including myocardial infarction and stroke, by analyzing a sample of a patient's blood for the presence and activity of Lipoprotein Associated Phospholipase A2 (Lp-PLA2) enzymatic activity to determine a patient's susceptibility to developing atherosclerotic disease, including stroke and myocardial infarction. Lp-PLA2, an enzyme associated with atherosclerotic plaque, was discovered by scientists at GlaxoSmithKline (GSK). This patent is one of several GSK patents to which diaDexus has an exclusive commercial diagnostic license.
Currently, diaDexus sells the PLAC(R) test, an Lp-PLA2 mass-based test for use as an aid in assessing patient risk of stroke or heart attack. diaDexus and GSK are developing an activity-based test for diagnostic purposes.
GSK is actively investigating Lp-PLA2 inhibitors and the role they may play in further reducing the risk of cardiovascular disease and as a potential treatment for atherosclerosis.
About Lp-PLA2
Lp-PLA2 is an enzyme that is implicated in the vascular inflammatory pathway that leads to plaque formation and atherosclerosis. Previous hypotheses on the cause of coronary heart disease focused around lipid accumulation within the arterial walls. Increasing evidence now suggests that atherosclerosis is largely an inflammatory disease. Multiple published studies in peer-reviewed journals show a statistically significant relationship between elevated Lp-PLA2 and the risk of a major cardiovascular event such as heart attack or stroke.
About diaDexus
diaDexus, Inc., a privately held biotechnology company based in South San Francisco, California, is focused on the discovery, development and commercialization of novel, patent-protected diagnostic products with high clinical value. The PLAC(R) test, developed by diaDexus, Inc., is a blood test cleared by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to aid in the prediction of an individual's risk for a coronary heart disease or ischemic stroke event, in conjunction with clinical evaluation and patient risk assessment. For more information about the PLAC(R) test visit www.plactest.com. More information about the company may be found at www.diaDexus.com.
diaDexus, Inc.CONTACT: Christina Andrian of diaDexus, Inc., +1-650-246-6476, orcandrian@diadexus.com
