Biomarker News and Research

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A biomarker is a biological molecule found in blood, other body fluids, or tissues that is a sign of a normal or abnormal process, or of a condition or disease. A biomarker may be used to see how well the body responds to a treatment for a disease or condition. Also called molecular marker and signature molecule.

Stressful upbringings can leave imprints on genes of African American children

Stressful upbringings can leave imprints on the genes of children as young as age 9, according to a study led by Princeton University and Pennsylvania State University researchers. Such chronic stress during youth leads to physiological weathering similar to aging.

10 Apr 2014

bioTheranostics, Prime Health Services sign contract to expand genomic tests

bioTheranostics, Inc., the leading genomic solutions provider for cancer diagnosis, has signed a contract with Prime Health Services, Inc., a national preferred provider organization network, to cover the company's genomic tests for breast cancer patients and patients with metastatic disease.

9 Apr 2014

Nanostring Technologies launches nCounter PanCancer Pathways Panel

NanoString Technologies, Inc., (NASDAQ:NSTG) a provider of life science tools for translational research and molecular diagnostic products, today announced the launch of the nCounter® PanCancer Pathways Panel, a highly-multiplexed, digital gene expression assay that offers a unique way for translational researchers to investigate cancer biology across all major cancer pathways.

From NanoString Technologies 8 Apr 2014

I-SPY 2 trial qualifies neratinib for HER2-positive breast cancer

In an innovative clinical trial led by UC San Francisco, the experimental drug neratinib along with standard chemotherapy was found to be a beneficial treatment for some women with newly diagnosed, high-risk breast cancer.

8 Apr 2014

Genetic screening of cancer can help doctors customize treatments in patients with melanoma

Genetic screening of cancer can help doctors customize treatments so that patients with melanoma have the best chance of beating it, according to the results of a clinical trial by researchers at the University of Pittsburgh Cancer Institute (UPCI), a partner with UPMC CancerCenter.

7 Apr 2014

Blood sample could diagnose many types of solid cancers

A blood sample could one day be enough to diagnose many types of solid cancers, or to monitor the amount of cancer in a patient's body and responses to treatment. Previous versions of the approach, which relies on monitoring levels of tumor DNA circulating in the blood, have required cumbersome and time-consuming steps to customize it to each patient or have not been sufficiently sensitive.

7 Apr 2014

Bio-Techne makes $10M equity investment in CyVek

Techne Corporation, d/b/a Bio-Techne, announced today that it has made a $10 million equity investment in CyVek, Inc. (CyVek), with a commitment to acquire CyVek if certain future milestones are met.

4 Apr 2014

Transgenomic to provide genetic testing services for Raptor’s clinical trial

Transgenomic, Inc., a global biotechnology company advancing personalized medicine in cardiology, oncology, and inherited diseases through diagnostic tests as well as clinical and research services, today announced an agreement with Raptor Pharmaceuticals Inc. to provide genetic testing services for Raptor's clinical trial (RP103-MITO-001) evaluating RP103 as a potential treatment for Leigh syndrome and other inherited mitochondrial disorders.

4 Apr 2014

Study explores relationship between genetics and lifestyle in development of AD

A global study involving more than one million people worldwide will explore the relationship between genetics and lifestyle in the development of Alzheimer's disease.

4 Apr 2014

FDA approves expanded use Dyax’s KALBITOR in treatment of acute hereditary angioedema

Dyax Corp. today announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved an expansion of the indication for KALBITOR (ecallantide), a peptide inhibitor of plasma kallikrein used in the treatment of acute hereditary angioedema (HAE) attacks, to include patients 12 years of age and older.

4 Apr 2014

Metabolon announces launch of fourth-generation metabolomics platform

Metabolon, Inc., a leader in metabolomics-driven biomarker discovery, announced today the launch of DiscoveryHD4, the company's fourth-generation metabolomics platform.

4 Apr 2014

Scientists identify new biomarker linked to non-small cell lung cancer, head and neck cancers

A team led by a scientist from the Florida campus of The Scripps Research Institute has identified a new biomarker linked to better outcomes of patients with head and neck cancers and non-small cell lung cancer. The work could help scientists develop new diagnostics and therapies and help physicians determine the best long-term treatments for patients with these cancers.

3 Apr 2014

ANP reports positive results from chronic toxicity study of ATL1102 in multiple sclerosis

Antisense Therapeutics Limited is pleased to advise that results from a chronic toxicity study in monkeys indicate that ATL1102, an antisense oligonucleotide currently under development for the treatment of multiple sclerosis (MS), was well-tolerated when given subcutaneously for a 6-month dosing period at the 2 dose levels tested (1.5 and 3mg/kg/dose).

2 Apr 2014

Bayer’s Adempas now available in the UK to treat patients with CTEPH

Adempas (riociguat) is available in the UK today as the first drug treatment for CTEPH, to treat adult patients with WHO Functional Class (FC) II to III with inoperable or persistent disease to improve exercise capacity.

1 Apr 2014

Venaxis files 510(k) premarket submission with FDA for APPY1 Test

Venaxis, Inc., an in vitro diagnostic company focused on obtaining FDA clearance for and commercializing its CE Marked APPY1™ Test, a rapid, multiple biomarker-based index assay for identifying patients that are at low risk for appendicitis, today announced that it has filed a 510(k) premarket submission for the APPY1 Test. Venaxis has requested concurrent de novo determination and 510(k) clearance from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

31 Mar 2014

Aspartic acid in hippocampus may be biomarker for predicting occurrence of cognitive dysfunction

Postoperative cognitive dysfunction is the deterioration of cognitive performance after anesthesia and surgery, and manifests as impairments in short-term memory, concentration, language comprehension, and social integration skills.

31 Mar 2014

Carb breakdown gene linked to obesity, researchers find

Researchers at King's College London and Imperial College London have discovered that people with fewer copies of a gene coding for a carb-digesting enzyme may be at higher risk of obesity. The findings, published in Nature Genetics, suggest that dietary advice may need to be more tailored to an individual's digestive system, based on whether they have the genetic predisposition and necessary enzymes to digest different foods.

31 Mar 2014

Physicians suspect that chemotherapy can accelerate aging process

Physicians have long suspected that chemotherapy can accelerate the aging process in patients treated for cancer. Using a test developed at UNC Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center to determine molecular aging, UNC oncologists have directly measured the impact of anti-cancer chemotherapy drugs on biological aging.

29 Mar 2014

Scientists identify two markers that predict patient's resistance to radiation therapy for cancer

An international team of researchers, led by Beaumont Health System's Jan Akervall, M.D., Ph.D., looked at biomarkers to determine the effectiveness of radiation treatments for patients with squamous cell cancer of the head and neck.

28 Mar 2014

Staging model, biomarker proposed for bipolar disorder

Researchers have proposed a model of early and late staging for patients with bipolar disorder according to functioning, number of episodes, age at onset and the time elapsed since first episode.

27 Mar 2014