Aterovax Signs Collaboration with Biomnis to Offer sPLA2 Activity Testing in Pharmaceutical Clinical Research

27-Aug-2010 - France

Aterovax SA announced a collaboration with Biomnis SA, an international medical testing and pathology services company, to offer its sPLA2 activity testing as a biomarker in pharmaceutical clinical trial research. During clinical trials biomarker data are used to better understand the disease, monitor the effects of a particular treatment or to help with the enrolment of patients. Financial terms of the agreement were not disclosed.

The phospholipases A2 (PLA2) superfamily of enzymes plays a key role in the inflammatory process. The activity of secretory PLA2 (sPLA2) is closely associated with the rupture of the atherosclerotic plaque and the subsequent risk of cardiovascular events. In clinical studies of drugs for indications such as cardiovascular disease, diabetes and inflammatory disorders, sPLA2 activity acts as a marker of how effective the drug could be as a treatment.

“This agreement with Biomnis will help establish sPLA2 activity as an important biomarker in clinical research along with existing disease indicators. As sPLA2 activity plays a causal role in disease, we believe it will provide valuable information for future disease management,” stated Dr Dominique Surun, CEO of Aterovax. “By including sPLA2 activity testing in clinical research, pharmaceutical companies will be able to further optimize patient enrolment into trials. With better patient selection, the time and costs of clinical trials could potentially be reduced.”

As testing for sPLA2 activity reflects the inflammatory status of the atherosclerotic plaque, it could be used as a potent efficacy biomarker in cardiovascular drug development. In fact, sPLA2 activity testing has been included in a major international Phase III study of a statin vs an ACE inhibitor. Similarly, the sPLA2 activity test could be used as a companion diagnostic in the clinical development of sPLA2 inhibitors.

https://www.bionity.com/en/news/122118/aterovax-signs-collaboration-with-biomnis-to-offer-spla2-activity-testing-in-pharmaceutical-clinical-research.html