Dade Behring Obtains Factor VII Rights from Aventis Behring

An exclusive license agreement provides worldwide in vitro diagnostic rights for the inventions of Aventis Behring (Marburg, Germany) relating to the factor VII activating protease (FSAP) and mutant forms of FSAP, to Dade Behring (Deerfield, IL, USA).

FSAP has recently been recognized as a potent activator of prourokinase, which plays a major role in human clot degradation. Although substantial research remains to be completed before a development project can be begun for a routine assay, FSAP is the first marker described for arterial occlusion that links coagulation disorders with chronic diseases of the arteries. FSAP is also one of the leading enzymes for cleaving factor VII into factor VIIa and maintaining factor VIIa. One mutant of FASP, the Marburg I SNP (single nucleotide polymorphism), found to exist in 4% of the general population, has shown promise as a significant and independent risk predictor for the progression of carotid stenosis. Dade plans further studies to elucidate the role of FSAP beyond carotid stenosis as a potential marker in a variety of cardiovascular diseases and stroke.

"This agreement is another significant step forward in developing the kinds of diagnostic tests that can led toward the management of cardiovascular disease, the world's number one health threat,” said Jim Reid-Anderson, chairman, president, and CEO, Dade Behring.




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