Katy Gladysheva, Body1/Knee1 Staff 12/15/99A new technique promises to benefit osteoporosis sufferers. Quidel Corporation has been granted an exclusive patent for a helical peptide (protein substance) believed to have promising application in managing osteoporosis. The patent covers an immunoassay method used to measure the helical peptide derived from type I collagen – a fibrous protein found within bones.
Healthy bones contain a matrix of mainly type I collagen fibers and the cells which are responsible for their production and remodeling. In healthy individuals, these collagen fibers are replenished daily throughout their lives. In individuals suffering from osteoporosis, a widespread disease that affects nearly 25 million Americans, type I collagen is degraded more rapidly than it is produced and incorporated into new bone.
As a result, bones affected with osteoporosis tend to be thinner than healthy bones, to have less bone mass, and to fracture more easily. Bones in the hip, spine, and wrist are among the sites most commonly affected with osteoporosis. The vast majority of osteoporosis patients (up to 80%, according to some studies) are women. The exact cause of osteoporosis is not entirely understood. Additional danger is presented by the fact that many times patients will not report problems to their doctor until they suffer a fracture.
The method patented by Quidel rests on the finding that the degradation fragments of collagen appear in the blood and urine of patients where they can be detected by immunoassay (technique for identifying a substance as a protein). The helical peptide is useful for the detection of excessive bone deterioration, as well as for monitoring osteoporosis patients receiving therapy. “[The patent] represents an important advancement for both the detection of bone loss and for monitoring the therapy of patients being treated for osteoporosis,” said Andre de Bruin, Quidel vice chairman, president and CEO in the press release issued today.
Quidel Corporation discovers, develops, manufactures, and markets rapid immunodiagnostic products for point-of-care detection of human medical conditions and illnesses. For more information, visit Quidel
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