Nanogen Acquires Rights to Alzheimer's Marker

A non-exclusive license to certain patents and patent applications relating to methods of using Apolipoprotein E (ApoE) isoforms, or any nucleic acid sequence relating to a gene encoding such isoforms, for the detection of Alzheimer's disease (AD) has been granted to Nanogen, Inc. (San Diego, CA, USA) by Athena Diagnostics (Worcester, MA, USA).

ApoE4 appears to a major inherited risk factor for AD. Studies have shown that having ApoE4 puts people at a higher risk of having AD but does not necessarily ensure that they will develop the disease. "This agreement allows Nanogen to develop an analyte specific reagent (ASR) and eventually a kit cleared by the FDA (US Food and Drug Administration) for the detection of ApoE4, the main allele thought to be involved in the diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease,” said Howard C. Birndorf, chairman and CEO of Nanogen.

Nanogen is a provider of molecular diagnostics. The company has developed the NanoChip Molecular Biology Workstation as the standard platform for the detection of genetic mutations, which it markets to scientists and genomics laboratories. Nanogen has developed two ASRs, one for the detection of Factor V Leiden and one for the CFTR gene for cystic fibrosis.





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