Dade Behring Signs License Agreement for Coagulation Test

Dade Behring Inc. (Deerfield, IL, USA) announced that it signed a license agreement with Radboud University (RUNMC) Nijmegen Medical Centre (Nijmegen, Netherlands) granting Dade Behring exclusive rights for a new coagulation test called the Nijmegen hemostasis assay (NHA).

Scientists at RUNMC expect the system to become accepted for testing a broad range of coagulation disorders. A research agreement was also signed granting Dade Behring with the rights to results from future NHA research and development performed by RUNMC.

Hemostasis is a complex process in which multiple components regulate blood flow and clot formation. Coagulation, fibrinolysis, and platelet aggregation are part of this process. The NHA is viewed by researchers to be important because it could provide insight into the whole blood-clotting process--simultaneously in one test. This type of test is commonly called a global test, referring to its potential for screening a broad range of coagulation disorders including thrombophilia and fibrinolytic abnormalities.

The scientific and medical communities believe such methodology may enable clinicians to understand the complete blood clotting process in a patient. In some cases, this could eliminate the need to isolate and test for separate components of the process. It is also believed that this type of test may mimic the true in vivo scenario of blood clotting in the human body.

Global tests reflecting the regulation of the hemostatic balance in patients are promising tools to better assess the needs of patients, said Waander van Heerde, Ph.D., principle investigator, Thrombosis Hemostasis Research Organization Radboud. We are very delighted that Dade Behring is collaborating with us--together we expect to further extend the knowledge of global testing for thrombosis and hemostasis. The global NHA test not only has the potential to give answers about the clinical picture of the patient, but may also be used to monitor therapy efficacy and pre-clinical studies.

Dade Behring Hemostasis is committed to ongoing development of coagulation assays to assess bleeding and thrombotic risk. Dade Behring developed a routine coagulation test using recombinant tissue factor--Innovin reagent for prothrombin time test. The company also developed the automated ristocetin cofactor activity test that detects Von Willebrand disease, which is the most common inherited bleeding disorder.



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