Collaboration with Noted Neurologists to Plan Next Clinical Studies
OMAHA, Neb. and HOUSTON, May 11 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Transgenomic, Inc. (OTC Bulletin Board: TBIO) and Power3 Medical Products, Inc. (OTC Bulletin Board: PWRM), announced the clinical introduction of the NuroPro(R) AD and NuroPro(R) PD tests for Alzheimer's and Parkinson's disease at the 2009 American Academy of Neurology meeting in Seattle, WA. The NuroPro tests help clinicians distinguish patients with Alzheimer's and Parkinson's diseases from 'normal' individuals and patients with other neurological disorders. The tests, developed by Power3, are a panel of blood serum protein biomarkers evaluated by biostatistical analysis to predict the probability a patient has neurodegenerative disease. This information will help physicians make earlier diagnoses and recommend appropriate follow-up and treatment options for their patients.
Katerina Marcopoulou, M.D., Assistant Professor of Neurology at the University of Thessaly, Greece, gave a platform presentation of Phase I results of a prospective Parkinson's disease trial of NuroPro PD at the AAN meeting. Her presentation covered data developed as part of the clinical validation of NuroPro PD being conducted at the University of Thessaly. The results demonstrated that NuroPro PD was able to discriminate between Parkinson's disease patients and age-matched control subjects with a sensitivity of 93% and specificity of 96%. In addition, samples from North American Parkinson's disease patients were correctly identified with 100% sensitivity when tested against the Greek patient database. Dr. Marcopoulou also presented data correlating blood serum concentrations of some of the key protein biomarkers utilized in the NuroPro PD assay with the severity of Parkinson's disease as measured by two separate clinical scoring methods.
Through a collaboration/licensing agreement between Transgenomic, which develops and provides molecular diagnostic tests and instruments for genetic analysis, and Power3, independent validation of test results for both Alzheimer's and Parkinson's diseases are being conducted with key clinical centers. At the AAN meeting, Power3's Scientific Advisory Board met to plan the next phase of key validation trials. The Scientific Advisory Board currently includes Stanley H. Appel, M.D.
