Ciphergen Partnering With the EU Funded ADDNET Consortium to Discover and Develop Diagnostics of Renal Disease
December 15 2004 - 9:01AM
PR Newswire (US)
Ciphergen Partnering With the EU Funded ADDNET Consortium to
Discover and Develop Diagnostics of Renal Disease ProteinChip(R)
Technology to Provide Biomarker Discovery and Assays FREMONT,
Calif., Dec. 15 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Ciphergen Diagnostics, a
division of Ciphergen Biosystems, Inc. (NASDAQ:CIPH), announced
today that it is collaborating with the ADDNET consortium which is
focused on creating a paradigm shift from biopsies for the
diagnosis of kidney disease to advanced molecular diagnostics from
patient urine. The ADDNET consortium, funded by the Sixth Framework
Programme of the European Union, consists of 6 participants from
four countries and is led by Prof. Harry Holthofer at the
University of Helsinki. "We are extremely pleased to have been
selected to participate in this consortium consisting of leading
universities in Europe," stated William E. Rich, President and CEO
of Ciphergen. "Existing diagnostics are limited in their ability to
provide predictive information, particularly given the growth of
kidney disease worldwide." In 1999, there were approximately
424,000 patients suffering from end stage renal disease (ESRD) in
the United States alone, with approximately 89,000 new cases
reported that year. Existing therapies (dialysis and
transplantation) are extremely expensive, not curative and cause
considerable human suffering. Diabetes is the major single cause
for ESRD with up to 40% of all dialysis and transplantation
patients due to diabetic nephropathy. The incidence of diabetes and
its renal complications are continually rising; the World Health
Organization has estimated that the number of patients with
diabetes will double to 300 million by 2025. Earlier diagnosis of
subclinical renal disease would permit targeted intensive
treatment, possibly slowing the progression of renal disease in
patients. Current blood and urine tests cannot detect subclinical
renal disease, and, although kidney biopsies are accurate, they are
invasive and therefore cannot be a routine clinical test. Hence,
the Sixth Framework Programme has funded this multi-year,
multiinstitution project to employ genomic, proteomic and
bioinformatics tools to identify and validate a set of key
molecular markers directly from patient urine that may yield novel
diagnostic markers for the early and accurate non-invasive
diagnosis of renal disease. Prof. Harry Holthofer, M.D., Ph.D.,
Director of Technomedium at the University of Helsinki and leader
of the ADDNET consortium, said: "Ciphergen's ProteinChip technology
and Pattern Track(TM) process was chosen to provide the biomarker
discovery and assay capability for this important project due to
its suitability for protein expression profiling and ability to
work synergistically with the other approaches that will be
included, such as gene expression profiling. In addition, their
promising approach on translating research into clinical
diagnostics was an important consideration." About Ciphergen
Ciphergen's Diagnostics Division is dedicated to the discovery of
protein biomarkers and panels of biomarkers and their development
into protein molecular diagnostic tests that improve patient care;
and to providing collaborative R&D services through its
Biomarker Discovery Centers(R) for biomarker discovery for new
diagnostic tests as well as pharmacoproteomic services for improved
drug toxicology, efficacy and theranostic assays. Ciphergen's
Biosystems Division develops, manufactures and markets a family of
ProteinChip(R) Systems and services for clinical, research, and
process proteomics applications. ProteinChip Systems enable protein
discovery, characterization, identification and assay development
to provide researchers with predictive, multi-marker assay
capabilities and a better understanding of biological function at
the protein level. 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 a potential
shift from biopsies for the diagnosis of kidney disease to
diagnostics from patient urine, the ability of earlier diagnosis of
subclinical renal disease to permit targeted intensive treatment
which slows the progression of renal disease, the ability to
identify and validate a set of key molecular markers directly from
patient urine that may yield diagnostics for the early and accurate
diagnosis of renal disease, the use of ProteinChip technology to
discover useful protein biomarkers, develop and commercialize
protein molecular diagnostics that improve patient care, and the
ability to provide services that lead to improved toxicology assays
and diagnostic assays. Actual results may differ materially from
those projected in such forward-looking statements due to various
factors, including the ability of the ADDNET consortium to
successfully discover a set of molecular markers that can be
subsequently developed into useful and reliable renal disease
diagnostics, the ProteinChip technology's ability to validate
and/or develop protein biomarkers as diagnostic or toxicology
assays, and the Company's ability to successfully commercialize
such tests. Investors should consult Ciphergen's filings with the
Securities and Exchange Commission, including its Form 10-Q dated
November 9, 2004, 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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