Commonwealth Laboratories, LLC Announces New Data on the Diagnosis of IBS-Mixed Will Be Presented at Digestive Disease Week 2016 in San Diego

SALEM, Mass., May 19, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Commonwealth Laboratories, LLC (Commonwealth) announced that three abstracts have been selected for oral presentation at Digestive Disease Week® (DDW) 2016 on May 21 – 24, 2016 in San Diego, California. The new data being presented will report on three subtypes of Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS), as well as guidelines for clinicians regarding hydrogen breath testing for gastrointestinal (GI) disorders.

"The data that will be presented at DDW 2016 is significant and contributes to the early diagnosis of IBS in patients looking for the cause of their GI distress, which is often debilitating," said Craig S. Strasnick, Chief Operating Officer at Commonwealth. "At Commonwealth Laboratories, we are proud to continue our efforts to help patients suffering from GI disease through continued development of diagnostic offerings, so they may develop the right course of treatment with their healthcare provider."

The following abstracts will be presented during DDW 2016:

• Assessment of Anti-vinculin and Anti-CdtB Antibodies in IBS Subtypes
  • Abstract Number: 257
  • Location: 25 – SDCC  3190
  • Date and Time:  May 22, 2016, 8:00 – 8:12am
• Hydrogen and Methane-Based Breath Testing (BT) in Gastrointestinal (GI) Disorders:  Report of the North American Consensus Meeting
  • Abstract Number: 450
  • Location: 9 - SDCC 3660
  • Date and Time:  May 22, 2016, 4:12 – 4:24pm
• The Utility of Measuring Anti-Cytolethal Distending Toxin B and Anti-Vinculin Antibodies in Tertiary Care Motility Practice:  A Free Range Experience
  • Abstract Number: 1134
  • Location: 26 - SDCC 5555
  • Date and Time:  May 24, 2016, 4:45 – 5:00pm

"Diagnosis remains a significant challenge for many GI disorders, leading to years of discomfort and confusion for our patients," explained Ali Rezaie, M.D., MSc, FRCPC, Gastroenterologist at Cedars-Sinai. "Following the identification of organic biomarkers present in the blood for IBS, we are working to identify what else we can learn from these biomarkers and how IBSchek can be used to help patients with IBS-M."

Launched in May 2015, IBSchek™ is a simple blood test designed to diagnose IBS, the most common gastrointestinal disorder in the U.S., which affects approximately 40 million Americans.[1]  IBSchek identifies the presence of two antibodies in a blood specimen – anti-CdtB and anti-vinculin. Elevated levels of either of these antibodies can confirm an IBS diagnosis.

Prior to the introduction of IBSchek, a diagnosis of IBS was typically made only after excluding other gastrointestinal conditions, such as Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis. This exclusionary process often requires patients to undergo costly and invasive procedures. It would typically take an average of five years and prolonged suffering before patients would receive a diagnosis of IBS.[2]  IBSchek uses a well-established immunoassay method called ELISA that can be conducted on a specimen collected via a standard blood draw. Results are reported to the physician 24 hours after the patient's blood specimen is received by Commonwealth for analysis. More information on IBSchek can be found at www.IBSchek.com.

About Commonwealth Laboratories, LLC™ 
Headquartered in Salem, Massachusetts, Commonwealth Laboratories, LLC is a state and federally licensed, FDA-registered, independent diagnostic laboratory offering specialized diagnostic tests to aid in the diagnosis of a variety of functional gastrointestinal disorders. The company utilizes a service-based approach to diagnostics that focuses on accessibility and simplicity. Commonwealth's scalable, efficient and clinically sophisticated platform provides the data and resources healthcare providers need to quickly and accurately make an informed diagnosis for their patients.

For more information about IBSchek™, please call (877) IBS-CHEK (427-2435) or visit http://www.IBSchek.com. For information regarding any other services provided by Commonwealth, including its hydrogen and methane breath testing platform for Small Intestinal Bacterial Overgrowth (SIBO) and carbohydrate malabsorption disorders, please call (800) 292-9019, visit www.hydrogenbreathtesting.com, or email [email protected].

About IBSchek™
IBSchek™ is based on the scientific findings of Mark Pimentel, M.D., and his research team at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, which confirmed that anti-vinculin and anti-CdtB are effective biomarkers for the diagnosis of IBS-D. The test utilizes a proprietary, ELISA-based blood test, providing results within 24 hours of sample receipt at Commonwealth. The test's turnkey approach is office-friendly and supplies healthcare providers with the objective data they need to make an informed diagnosis, while also providing validation for the symptoms and associated discomfort that IBS patients often experience for extensive periods of time. 

About IBS
IBS is a gastrointestinal disorder in which symptoms are due to dysfunction of the gut. There are three different types of IBS, with an equal number of people in each category: IBS with constipation (IBS-C), IBS with diarrhea (IBS-D), and IBS with alternating constipation and diarrhea (IBS-M). The symptoms associated with IBS-C include stomach pain and discomfort, bloating, abnormally delayed or infrequent bowel movement, or lumpy/hard stool.  The symptoms associated with IBS-D include stomach pain and discomfort, an urgent need to move your bowels, abnormally frequent bowel movements, or loose/watery stool.

IBS is the most common gastrointestinal disorder in the U.S., affecting approximately 40 million Americans. It is estimated that at least 5 million Canadians suffer from IBS, with an additional 120,000 people developing the condition every year.³ IBS affects about twice as many women as men and is most often found in people younger than age 45.⁴

About DDW
Digestive Disease Week® (DDW) is the largest international gathering of physicians, researchers and academics in the fields of gastroenterology, hepatology, endoscopy and gastrointestinal surgery. Jointly sponsored by the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases (AASLD), the American Gastroenterological Association (AGA) Institute, the American Society for Gastrointestinal Endoscopy (ASGE) and the Society for Surgery of the Alimentary Tract (SSAT), DDW takes place May 21-24, 2016 at the San Diego Convention Center, San Diego, CA. The meeting showcases more than 5,000 abstracts and hundreds of lectures on the latest advances in GI research, medicine and technology. More information can be found at www.ddw.org. 

Contact Information
Erinn White
Centron PR
[email protected]
646-722-8822

1. Crohn's & Colitis Foundation of America. Inflammatory Bowel Disease and Irritable Bowel Syndrome. Available at: http://www.ccfa.org/assets/pdfs/ibd-and-irritable-bowel.pdf. [Last accessed: April 11, 2016].
2. Hulisz, Darrell, RPh, PharmD. "The Burden of Illness of Irritable Bowel Syndrome: Current Challenges and Hope for the Future." Journal of Managed Care Pharmacy 10.4 (July/August 2004): 299-309.
3. Canadian Digestive Health Foundation. Understanding Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS). Available at:  http://www.cdhf.ca/bank/document_en/15understanding-irritable-bowel-syndrome-ibs-cdhf-guide.pdf. [Last accessed: May 17, 2016].
4. National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases. Definition and Facts for Irritable Bowel Syndrome. Available at: http://www.niddk.nih.gov/health-information/health-topics/digestive-diseases/irritable-bowel-syndrome/Pages/definition-facts.aspx. [Last accessed: May 17, 2016].

SOURCE Commonwealth Laboratories, LLC

Related Links

http://www.IBSchek.com