Arthritis Blood Test: 14-3-3 eta Ground-Breaking Data

VANCOUVER, May 29, 2014 /PRNewswire/ - Augurex Life Sciences Corp. announces a ground-breaking body of new data that will publish during the European League Against Rheumatism (EULAR) Annual Congress of Rheumatology taking place June 11-14 in Paris. Investigators will present the studies listed in the schedule below, which to date along with other publications, represent over 2000 patients evaluated with the 14-3-3 eta blood test.

This follows the very recent publication of a study describing the novel mechanism by which 14-3-3 eta promotes disease. Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) develops from an interplay of several factors that lead to inflammation and joint damage, making it a particularly debilitative form of arthritis affecting about 1.5% of the population. Many of these factors have been known for decades, with the 14-3-3 eta protein now representing the most novel discovery of the past 7 years. The key is that 14-3-3 eta is a protein normally present inside cells, in all of us. However in patients who develop certain forms of arthritis 14-3-3 eta gets outside the cell and causes numerous harmful effects, implicating it directly in the disease process.

Augurex' Chief Scientific Officer, Dr. Anthony Marotta says "This protein is a scientist's dream because before its discovery in 2007, no one knew that it played a role in arthritis. It's not only exciting for Augurex and our international investigators to uncover the ways in which it causes disease, but also for patients and the rheumatology community at large." Dr. Marotta adds, "14-3-3 eta, and the related blood tests, will address so many autoimmune conditions which risk joint involvement, ultimately helping prevent disease development and progression. We can't wait to see what the world learns from this protein through international research and clinical use".

Dr. Marotta will be giving a web-based presentation on Friday, May 30th at 9:00 am PST entitled "How does the soluble mechanistic biomarker 14-3-3 eta assist in the management of Rheumatoid Arthritis?". The 14-3-3 eta blood test is available in the United States and will launch in Canada in the coming months.

Dr. Walter Maksymowych, the principal investigator of several 14-3-3 eta studies as well as the International Chair of the Outcomes Measures in Rheumatology Clinical Trials Soluble Biomarker Subcommittee and Medical Research Professor of Medicine and Rheumatologist at the University of Alberta, says "The body of evidence is now growing at such a rapid rate that we are seeing applications emerge in autoimmune diseases such as Ankylosing Spondylitis, where there are no useful diagnostic blood tests available." Dr. Maksymowych adds, "This protein can potentially change our perspective of disease mechanisms and open up a whole new area of research that could improve the lives of these patients."

List of 14-3-3 eta EULAR 2014 Conference Proceedings

SOURCE Augurex Life Sciences Corp.