USPTO issues patent to Corgenix’s AspirinWorks technology

Corgenix Medical Corporation (OTCBB: CONX), a worldwide developer and marketer of diagnostic test kits, has been issued an additional U.S. patent covering its AspirinWorks^® technology.    

The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office has issued U.S. Patent No. 8,168,400 on the AspirinWorks Test Kit, which measures thromboxane metabolites in urine to evaluate aspirin effect in apparently healthy individuals. The composition-of-matter claims provide intellectual property coverage for the monoclonal antibody that recognizes thromboxane metabolites.

"This patent increases the scope and variety of claims on the AspirinWorks Test Kit," said Douglass Simpson, Corgenix President and Chief Executive Officer. "By further protecting the AspirinWorks Test we're strengthening our intellectual property portfolio and enhancing our competitive position in the clinical testing market."

Corgenix was previously issued a U.S. Patent in 2010 related to the AspirinWorks Test's ability to more accurately depict true levels of circulating thromboxane metabolites, chemicals that activate blood platelets and cause them to stick together. Aspirin is widely prescribed as an anti-platelet drug because of its ability to inhibit thromboxane formation and help prevent ischemic events such as heart attack and stroke.

More than 1 million Americans experience new or recurrent heart attacks each year. At-risk individuals are eligible for aspirin therapy and should be tested for the presence or absence of the therapy's effect. AspirinWorks is the only FDA-cleared test that measures the urinary biomarker 11-dehydro thromboxane B2 (11dhTxB2) to determine aspirin effect in apparently healthy individuals post ingestion. 11dhTxB2 is a metabolite of thromboxane A2 (TxA2), the target of aspirin therapy. The test targets a potential global market exceeding 200 million individuals.

Unlike functional platelet tests, which require freshly drawn blood that must be evaluated within at least four hours, the AspirinWorks Test is performed on a random urine sample that can be obtained in any doctor's office or patient service center, making the test convenient for both physician and patient.