Douglas Harrington, MD Addresses Select Group Of Physicians Regarding Latest Advances In Cardiovascular Risk Assessment

SAN FRANCISCO, March 19, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Aviir Inc., a biotechnology company dedicated to enhanced detection and prevention of cardiovascular disease through innovative diagnostic tests, announced that Douglas Harrington, MD, Clinical Professor of Pathology at USC and Aviir Inc. CEO, addressed a select group of physicians and leading cardiologists on the Latest Advances in Cardiovascular Risk Assessment at a special invitation-only reception in San Francisco. The event took place March 10, during the American College of Cardiology (ACC) 2013 Annual Conference and included guest speakers Thomas Quertermous, PhD, Professor of Cardiovascular Medicine from the Stanford University School of Medicine, and Americo Simonini, MD, Cardiologist at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center.

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"Our goal is to present and discuss the best cardiac risk assessment methods available. Presenting next generation tests like MIRISK VP™ with fellow physicians in an intimate forum enabled a free exchange and the chance to discuss advances in the field of preventative cardiology," said Dr. Harrington.

Many physicians at the event elected to take the MIRISK VP test on-site, which was offered by GUARDaHEART, a national non-profit dedicated to heart disease awareness and prevention.

MIRISK VP stratifies the intermediate risk group, which has proven to be a critical part of risk assessment, as most adverse cardiac events happen to intermediate risk individuals. In fact, MIRISK VP was shown in a peer-reviewed publication to significantly improve cardiac risk assessment by reclassifying intermediate risk individuals to either high or low risk groups, resulting in a net reclassification index of 43% compared to the standard Framingham method.

"As a cardiologist, I am excited about the prospect of this test. I understand its value to my patients and practice and I was happy to speak to my colleagues about its usefulness in the clinic," stated Dr. Simonini.

Aviir CEO Douglas Harrington, MD, said Aviir anticipates that the MIRISK VP test will become an important and widely used tool for physicians who want to provide their patients with a clearer picture of their individual heart health by providing critical information to high risk patients who may be incorrectly identified as intermediate risk by standard diagnostic methods.

About the MIRISK VP™ Assessment

The Aviir MIRISK VP test was developed out of research performed at the Stanford University School of Medicine. Researchers identified seven key proteins associated with the biological processes underlying formation and rupture of vulnerable plaque, which is the number one cause of a heart attack. MIRISK VP was shown to effectively measure these proteins in a patient's blood up to 5 years prior to an ensuing heart attack or unstable angina. Aviir's scientists developed sensitive multiplexed assays as well as a proprietary algorithm to detect those key proteins in an individual's blood and combines them with additional clinical risk factors to generate a more accurate 5-year risk score assessment for coronary heart disease (CHD). In an independent study, the MIRISK VP algorithm was shown to reclassify intermediate risk individuals as actually belonging either in a high or low risk group, significantly improving risk stratification (net reclassification index of 43%). By identifying patients who are actually at high risk, MIRISK VP assists physicians in developing effective treatment plans and implementing preventative measures to reduce the risk of a heart attack when they can be most beneficial. When used in conjunction with additional clinical information, MIRISK VP's easy to understand risk score for a 5-year horizon may motivate improved patient compliance with therapeutic lifestyle changes.

About Aviir

Aviir was founded in 2005 by cardiologists and scientists from the Stanford University School of Medicine to focus on discovery, development and commercialization of innovative diagnostic tests. The company specializes in developing proprietary diagnostic tests that assist in identifying patients who are most at risk of a cardiac event, but who may be unaware of their true risk status. Aviir's proprietary MIRISK and MIRISK VP assessment tests objectively identify, by a simple blood draw, individuals who are at a high risk of a cardiac event over the next five years. Aviir's CLIA-certified laboratory (Irvine, CA) complements these novel tests with a wide range of additional testing options for risk assessment and therapeutic monitoring of cardiovascular disease and related metabolic disorders – including pharmacogenomic and genetic tests. The company has adopted a unique clinical laboratory service model to provide physicians better diagnostic tools that improve the cardiovascular health of their patients. The company is privately owned and funded by leading life science venture capital firms. Please visit www.aviir.com for more information.

About GUARDaHEART

GUARDaHEART promotes awareness through education and risk detection tools, and empowers preventative action through activities that build friendships, cultivate healthy habits, and create accountability. GUARDaHEART believes that in partnership with physicians and patients, it is possible to reduce the risk of Heart Disease within communities.

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SOURCE Aviir Inc.