Biosite Incorporated and Hopitaux Universitaires de Geneve (HUG), a leading clinical research hospital in Europe, have entered into a collaboration for the identification and validation of novel, protein-based disease biomarkers for kidney injury. The biomarkers could be used for the development of potential blood-based products aimed at diagnosing kidney injury.
Under the terms of the collaboration, HUG will identify and validate several biomarkers discovered in blood and tissue samples from kidney injury patients. Biosite will have the rights to develop diagnostic tests using one or more of those biomarkers. Financial terms of the agreement were not disclosed.
The research groups of Dr. Solange Moll and Professor Denis Hochstrasser of the department of clinical pathology at HUG have discovered more than 10 proteins specific to kidney function that may yield biomarkers for certain renal conditions. Understanding the important potential of these discoveries, Unitec, the office of technology transfer at HUG, has filed for several patent applications in this field.
"Kidney injury can occur as the result of chronic or acute conditions. In order to provide useful information to physicians the timing and the nature of the injury need to be identified," said Gunars Valkirs, Ph.D., senior vice president Biosite Discovery. "HUG is a leading proteomics center in Europe and this collaboration may further advance Biosite's efforts in developing a rapid diagnostic test for kidney injury."
"We are pleased to collaborate with a company of Biosite's caliber for the development of a diagnostic for kidney injury," said Prof. Denis Hochstrasser, head of the department of clinical pathology of HUG. "As physicians, we perceive the acute need for such a diagnostic, and we are hopeful that our collaboration with Biosite will eventually yield us tools that will help us provide better care to our patients."
Kidney injury is frequently acquired in a hospital setting and is most often the result of decreased blood flow to the kidneys from major surgery or trauma, infection, dehydration or adverse reactions to medications. Important risk factors for kidney injury include high blood pressure, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, advanced age, the presence of infection and the presence of other failing organs. Mortality is approximately three times higher in patients with acute kidney injury than in those without, both in the intensive care unit and in the overall hospital patient population.
Biosite Incorporated is a leading bio-medical company commercializing proteomics discoveries for the advancement of medical diagnosis. The company's products contribute to improvements in medical care by aiding physicians in the diagnosis of critical diseases and health conditions.