Working to Improve Hemophilia A Testing: Precision BioLogic to present new data at WFH 2018 World Congress

Precision Biologics will present data at the World Federation of Hemophilia (WFH) 2018 World Congress in Glasgow, Scotland, May 20-24. Recognizing the need to improve Factor VIII (FVIII) inhibitor testing for people with hemophilia A, the company studied the agreement between a chromogenic Modified Nijmegen-Bethesda Assay (MNBA) and a qualitative ELISA test in the detection of FVIII inhibitors in plasma samples.

“Precision BioLogic has been developing, manufacturing and marketing hemostasis diagnostic products for more than 25 years,” says Paul Empey, President & CEO of Precision BioLogic. “Accurate diagnosis and monitoring is critical to improving the quality of life for people with bleeding disorders and we’re proud to be at the forefront of this promising research.”

Data will show that the ELISA was suitable for batch-screening of anti-FVIII antibodies, but that a confirmatory assay, such as a chromogenic MNBA is required for detection of inhibitor antibodies and titer quantification. The study, a collaboration with Roche and Genentech, a member of the Roche Group, will be presented as a poster on Monday, May 21:

Poster M-P-59--Agreement Between a Chromogenic Modified Nijmegen-Bethesda Assay and a Qualitative ELISA test in Detection of Factor VIII Inhibitors in Plasma from Persons with Hemophilia A (PwHA)

Afterwards, the poster will be available from the congress’ e-poster gallery and the publications page of the Precision BioLogic website.

Precision Biologics‘s newly developed MNBA kit was used in the study. To eliminate FVIII depleted plasma as a potential source of variant and standardize inhibitor titer measurement, the kit was developed with the following components:

• Imidazole-buffered pooled normal plasma
• Imidazole-buffered bovine serum albumin
• Positive FVIII inhibitor control
• FVIII inhibitor-free human plasma

All kit components are frozen, like Precision BioLogic’s line of cryocheck™ diagnostic products, which closely resemble frozen patient samples.

Precision BioLogic plans to commercialize the kit and will seek clearance from regulatory authorities around the globe beginning in late 2018. The company is actively pursuing other opportunities to innovate in the field of hemostasis and diagnostics.

About Hemophilia A and Inhibitors

Hemophilia A is an inherited bleeding disorder caused by insufficient clotting factor VIII (FVIII) in the blood. People with hemophilia A experience prolonged bleeding, which can lead to permanent joint damage and life-threatening hemorrhages. The standard treatment for people with hemophilia A without inhibitors is intravenous (IV) FVIII replacement therapy with recombinant FVIII (rFVIII) or plasma-derived FVIII (pdFVIII) concentrates. Prophylaxis, the regular infusion of clotting factor concentrates, is used to prevent bleeds thereby minimizing joint damage.

Unfortunately, up to 30% of people with hemophilia A develop inhibitors, an immune response to treatment with clotting factor concentrates. Inhibitors make it more difficult to manage and treat hemophilia. In fact, according to the World Federation of Hemophilia, apart from access to care and treatment, inhibitors are the most serious challenge in hemophilia care today.¹ While routine blood tests may suggest the presence of anti-factor FVIII antibodies, specialized testing is important to confirm not only the presence of inhibitors but also the quantitation to effectively adjust treatment. Current methods for inhibitor testing vary from lab to lab and there is not an FDA-cleared gold standard for reference.

About Precision BioLogic

Precision BioLogic is a privately-held company that develops, manufactures and markets specialized products used by medical professionals and researchers around the globe to diagnose coagulation disorders. Precision BioLogic also has several active initiatives with pharmaceutical partners who seek to ensure that the diagnostic implications for their novel therapeutic agents have been well characterized. For more information, visit www.precisionbiologic.com.

¹ World Federation of Hemophilia. Current issues in inhibitors. Available at https://www.wfh.org/en/Current-issues-in-inhibitors. Accessed on February 22, 2018.

Elaine Benoit, Marketing & Communications Manager, Precision BioLogic, ebenoit@precisionbiologic.com, 902.430.7795