Drug Discovery and Development

  • Home Drug Discovery and Development
  • Drug Discovery
  • Women in Pharma and Biotech
  • Oncology
  • Neurological Disease
  • Infectious Disease
  • Resources
    • Video features
    • Podcast
    • Voices
    • Webinars
  • Pharma 50
    • 2025 Pharma 50
    • 2024 Pharma 50
    • 2023 Pharma 50
    • 2022 Pharma 50
    • 2021 Pharma 50
  • Advertise
  • SUBSCRIBE

Activity Test Improves Prediction of Cardiovascular Events

By Drug Discovery Trends Editor | December 16, 2009

Aterovax SA, a company developing innovative products for atherosclerosis, announced data demonstrating that its blood test for secretory phospholipase A2 (sPLA2) activity significantly improves cardiovascular risk prediction in patients with stable coronary artery disease (CAD) over a five-year period, independent of established risk markers, including C-reactive protein. sPLA2 is in a family of pro-inflammatory enzymes linked to the formation and destabilization of atherosclerotic plaques. Aterovax’s sPLA2 activity test was used in 3778 patients in the PEACE (Prevention of Events with Angiotensin Converting Enzyme Inhibition) trial and the results were presented at the American Heart Association’s annual scientific sessions.

“There is growing evidence that testing for sPLA2 activity may provide an additional layer of information that goes above and beyond traditional cardiovascular risk factors and biomarkers,” notes lead investigator in the study, Michelle O’Donoghue of the TIMI Study Group, Cardiovascular Division, Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston.

“This study continues to support the role of sPLA2 activity as a prognostic tool for assessing cardiovascular risk,” Dominique Surun, CEO of Aterovax explained. “We believe our test for sPLA2 activity, once approved, could provide highly relevant information to help identify individuals who are at increased risk of cardiovascular events.”

The PEACE trial is a randomized, multi-center study of trandolapril versus placebo in 8,290 patients with stable coronary artery disease (CAD). sPLA2 activity levels identified individuals at increased risk of cardiovascular death (CVD) and the combination of CVD, myocardial infarction (MI) or stroke during 5 years of follow-up. After adjusting for baseline differences, individuals with the highest levels of sPLA2 activity had a 78% higher risk of CVD and a 56% higher risk of CVD, MI or stroke than patients with the lowest levels of sPLA2 activity.  In addition, sPLA2 activity was a stronger marker for risk prediction than other established biomarkers, including C-reactive protein and lipoprotein-associated phospholipase A2.

The phospholipases A2 (PLA2) superfamily of enzymes plays a key role in the inflammatory process by generating chemical intermediates. By detecting the activity of secretory PLA2 (sPLA2), the risk of experiencing a cardiovascular event can be determined. Recently, nine large independent international clinical studies, both in clinical and non-clinical populations, demonstrated the strong positive correlation existing between sPLA2 activity and atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease.

 
Release Date: November 17, 2009
Source: Aterovax 


Filed Under: Drug Discovery

 

Related Articles Read More >

Sanders, King target DTC pharma ads but the industry worries more about threats to its $2B R&D model
Zoliflodacin wins FDA nod for treatment of gonorrhea
FDA approved ENFLONSIA for the prevention of RSV in Infants
First clinical study results of Dupixent for atopic dermatitis in patients with darker skin tones 
“ddd
EXPAND YOUR KNOWLEDGE AND STAY CONNECTED
Get the latest news and trends happening now in the drug discovery and development industry.

MEDTECH 100 INDEX

Medtech 100 logo
Market Summary > Current Price
The MedTech 100 is a financial index calculated using the BIG100 companies covered in Medical Design and Outsourcing.
Drug Discovery and Development
  • MassDevice
  • DeviceTalks
  • Medtech100 Index
  • Medical Design Sourcing
  • Medical Design & Outsourcing
  • Medical Tubing + Extrusion
  • Subscribe to our E-Newsletter
  • Contact Us
  • About Us
  • R&D World
  • Drug Delivery Business News
  • Pharmaceutical Processing World

Copyright © 2025 WTWH Media LLC. All Rights Reserved. The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of WTWH Media
Privacy Policy | Advertising | About Us

Search Drug Discovery & Development

  • Home Drug Discovery and Development
  • Drug Discovery
  • Women in Pharma and Biotech
  • Oncology
  • Neurological Disease
  • Infectious Disease
  • Resources
    • Video features
    • Podcast
    • Voices
    • Webinars
  • Pharma 50
    • 2025 Pharma 50
    • 2024 Pharma 50
    • 2023 Pharma 50
    • 2022 Pharma 50
    • 2021 Pharma 50
  • Advertise
  • SUBSCRIBE