New studies support secretoneurin as new biomarker for cardiovascular disease

Scandinavian cardiovascular diagnostics specialist CardiNor AS today announced two new studies have been published by the group at Akershus University Hospital led by Professor Torbjørn Omland and Associate Professor Helge Røsjø in leading journals that strongly support secretoneurin as a new, important biomarker for cardiovascular disease.

Prognostic Value of Secretoneurin in Patients with Acute Respiratory Failure published in Clinical Chemistry and Prognostic Value of Secretoneurin in Critically Ill Patients With Infection published in Critical Care Medicine both document that elevated levels of secretoneurin in these two patient groups are linked to increased cardiovascular mortality.

Taking into account existing studies, Secretoneurin appears to be a biomarker that provides strong and complementary prognostic information to established risk indices in critically ill patients with infections. Accordingly, Secretoneurin seems to have potential as a prognostic biomarker across different populations with myocardial dysfunction.

Secretoneurin is therefore creating a great deal of interest as the potential missing link in assessment and management of the 30 million patients having arrhythmia. An editorial headline in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology (JACC) previously ran: “Will Secretoneurin be the next big thing?”, referring to its potential role of complementing troponin and BNP as a third key frontline test in patient with cardiovascular disease.

According to CardiNor CEO Dag Christiansen this is welcome news:

An increasing body of evidence is pointing to the value of secretoneurin as cardiovascular risk marker and we are continuing according to plan with our drive to develop a frontline ELISA assay.

CardiNor aims to develop a blood-based assay for Secretoneurin. A European patent for SN in cardiovascular disease was recently granted, and together with the earlier US patent, gives CardiNor a strong IP position. Cardiovascular disease continues to be the leading cause of morbidity and mortality in the world. It is estimated that some 42 million people will have heart failure by 2018. Currently, the cost to US society alone is more than USD 31 billion.

Source: CardiNor AS