Better Diagnosis of Acute Heart Failure Using Pronota's Novel Biomarker

Ghent, Belgium (ots/PRNewswire) -

Two independent validation studies demonstrate that Pronota's
biomarker CD146 significantly improves the diagnosis of acute heart
failure for patients with shortness of breath. The biomarker,
measured in blood, provides clinicians with unique additional
information allowing better treatment of this challenging group of
patients.

Current diagnosis for acute heart failure is limited

Current clinical practice for triaging patients with shortness of
breath includes the measurement of specific peptides (B-type
natriuretic peptides: BNP or NT-proBNP). Despite the widespread use
of these biomarkers, there is still much room for improvement.
"Natriuretic peptides have become standard tools to support making
the correct diagnosis in patients with shortness of breath. However,
clinicians clearly recognize the limitations of natriuretic peptides.
The potential value of another biomarker to improve the diagnostic
accuracy of BNP or NT-proBNP is considerable," commented Prof. J.
Januzzi (Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School).

Pronota's novel heart failure marker for accurate diagnosis

Pronota identified the biomarker CD146 from an unbiased proteomics
effort. Its performance has now been confirmed in two independent
studies totaling over 500 patients. Prof. A. Mebazaa (INSERM, Paris,
France), principal investigator for the validation studies,
commented: "It is exciting to see that novel biomarkers with
underlying biological processes completely different from currently
used biomarkers can still be discovered and validated. This not only
provides more insight into the underlying disease mechanism, it also
gives the physician tools to improve the management and care of heart
failure patients. Pronota's approach in this respect is unique and
has proven to deliver on numerous occasions."

Launch forecast: 2014

"Data from early verification and marker characterization studies
were already highly exciting, but the recent independent validation
studies exceeded our expectations and would not have been possible
without the support of our network of key opinion leaders in the
field," commented Katleen Verleysen, CEO of Pronota NV. "We
anticipate launching this product in 2014, so that clinicians may get
access to the tools they need to improve the treatment and care of
their patients."

http://www.pronota.com

ots Originaltext: Pronota
Im Internet recherchierbar: http://www.presseportal.de

Contact:
Pronota NV, Dr. Katleen Verleysen, CEO, +32(0)92411163,
Katleen.Verleysen@Pronota.com