Ciphergen Announces Discovery of a Potential Multi-Biomarker Test for Alzheimer's Disease Using SELDI ProteinChip(R) Technology
November 10 2003 - 9:00AM
PR Newswire (US)
Ciphergen Announces Discovery of a Potential Multi-Biomarker Test
for Alzheimer's Disease Using SELDI ProteinChip(R) Technology
FREMONT, Calif., Nov. 10 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Ciphergen
Biosystems, Inc. announced the discovery of a novel biomarker
pattern for potential diagnostic use that correctly classified
>96% of Alzheimer's Disease (AD) and >94% normal individuals
using a 4 peak pattern of markers. Results were presented today at
the Society for Neuroscience 33rd Annual Meeting in New Orleans.
Ciphergen's Biomarker Discovery Center(R) scientists, working in
collaboration with Professor Kaj Blennow of Sahlgren's University
Hospital in Sweden, analyzed cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) from
probable Alzheimer's patients and age-matched normal individuals
using Ciphergen's SELDI ProteinChip Biomarker System and patented
Expression Difference Mapping(TM) methodology. Profiling of CSF
samples on a variety of ProteinChip Arrays revealed 39 candidate
biomarkers (P-value <
0.0001) that were differentially expressed in samples from
Alzheimer's patients versus age-matched normal control individuals.
Ciphergen scientists then used its proprietary Biomarker
Patterns(R) software to select a pattern of four biomarkers that
correctly classified 29 out of 30 Alzheimer's patient samples and
33 out of 35 age- matched normal individuals. Further studies
analyzing over 200 additional samples are underway to validate
these markers for their utility in diagnosing early stage
Alzheimer's disease as well as in differentiating AD from other
dementias using the Ciphergen platform. Alzheimer's disease is the
most common form of dementia worldwide, afflicting approximately 10
percent of people over the age of 65 and nearly half of those at
age 85. The pathology of the disease is characterized by the
accumulation of amyloid plaques and neurofibrillary tangles in the
brains of patients. Today, there is no simple test that can be used
for the reliable diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease. Existing
biochemical markers lack the sensitivity and specificity for
routine clinical use, particularly for differentiation of
Alzheimer's disease from other dementias. Moreover, there is also a
pressing need for biomarkers to support the development of new
disease modifying drugs. Novel markers that can differentiate
patient cohorts for enrollment in clinical trials, assess
dose-response and monitor drug efficacy and disease progression
have the potential to greatly reduce cost and time of bringing
these new therapies to market. "We are delighted to see that our
SELDI ProteinChip technology has enabled the discovery of
biomarkers, which potentially may be used to diagnose Alzheimer's
disease," stated William E. Rich, President and CEO of Ciphergen
Biosystems. "We also believe that pharmaceutical companies
developing Alzheimer's therapeutics would greatly benefit from a
protein-based test to help with compound selection and treatment
monitoring." Professor Kaj Blennow of the Sahlgren's University
Hospital commented: "The increasing awareness of the possibilities
for drug treatment of AD has made people with memory disturbances
seek medical advice very early. In this phase of the disease, there
is no clinical method to determine which of these patients will
progress to AD with dementia, and which will not. The AD profile
discovered in this study using the SELDI ProteinChip technology may
be a major breakthrough as a method to help clinicians identify AD
very early in the disease process. This may have a large impact if
the new drugs aimed at slowing down the degenerative process (e.g.
beta-amyloid vaccination regimes and secretase inhibitors) prove to
have a beneficial clinical effect, since they will probably be most
effective before neurodegeneration is too severe." Ciphergen has
filed a patent application that covers the use of the novel
biomarkers and biomarker patterns for diagnosis of Alzheimer's
disease. About Ciphergen Ciphergen develops, manufactures and
markets a family of ProteinChip(R) Systems and services for
clinical, research and process proteomics applications, as well as
a broad range of bioseparations media for protein purification
through its BioSepra process chromatography division. ProteinChip
Systems and Biomarker Discovery Center(R) collaborative services
enable protein discovery, profiling, characterization and assay
development to provide researchers with predictive analysis
capabilities and a better understanding of biological functions at
the protein level. ProteinChip Systems are enabling tools in the
emerging field of protein-based biology research, known as
proteomics. Proteomics provides a direct approach to understanding
the role of proteins in the biology of disease, monitoring disease
progression and evaluating the therapeutic effects and side effects
of drugs. Ciphergen believes proteomics will be a major focus of
biological research by enhancing the understanding of gene function
and the molecular basis of disease. Additional information about
Ciphergen can be found at http://www.ciphergen.com/. Safe Harbor
Statement Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements: For purposes
of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 (the
"Act"), Ciphergen disclaims any intent or obligation to update
these forward-looking statements, and claims the protection of the
Safe Harbor for forward-looking statements contained in the Act.
Examples of such forward-looking statements include statements
regarding the use of ProteinChip technology to discover useful
protein biomarkers and develop diagnostic assays for Alzheimer's
Disease, and future growth in the field of proteomics. Actual
results may differ materially from those projected in such
forward-looking statements due to various factors, including the
ProteinChip technology's ability to validate and/or develop these
protein biomarkers as diagnostic assays, and the continued
emergence of proteomics as a major focus of biological research and
drug discovery. Investors should consult Ciphergen's filings with
the Securities and Exchange Commission, including its Registration
Statement on Form S-3 dated October 8, 2003, for further
information regarding these and the other risks of the Company's
business. NOTE: Ciphergen, ProteinChip and Biomarker Discovery
Center are registered trademarks of Ciphergen Biosystems, Inc.
DATASOURCE: Ciphergen Biosystems, Inc. CONTACT: Sue Carruthers,
Investor Relations of Ciphergen Biosystems, Inc., +1-510-505-2297
Web site: http://www.ciphergen.com/
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