HANNOVER, Germany, and SAN JUAN CAPISTRANO, Calif., Dec. 12 /PRNewswire/
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German-based therapeutic developer Pharis Biotec GmbH, and Nichols
Institute Diagnostics, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Quest Diagnostics
Incorporated (NYSE: DGX), announced today that Pharis Biotec has granted an
exclusive license to Nichols Institute Diagnostics for patented technology
needed to develop a diagnostic test to measure parathyroid hormone, essential
in the assessment of calcium metabolism and bone health. The technology is
featured in a new independently validated test developed by Quest Diagnostics,
the Bio-Intact PTH (1-84) assay, for use by clinical and research
endocrinologists, hospitals and dialysis centers. The Bio-Intact PTH (1-84)
assay offers benefit over current PTH assays in the management of patients
with chronic renal failure and renal bone disease. These patients have
elevated levels of PTH fragments in blood. Preliminary studies also indicate
that Bio-Intact PTH (1-84) offers superior diagnostic sensitivity for primary
hyperparathyroidism, or parathyroid gland tumors.
The licensing agreement covers rights to U.S. Patent No. 6,030,790, issued
to Pharis Biotec, which describes a method of detecting biologically active
human parathyroid hormone. The license also extends to similar pending patents
in Japan and major European countries.
The Bio-Intact PTH (1-84) test provides a more accurate measurement than
current PTH assays by measuring the whole, or "intact," parathyroid hormone
molecule rather than fragments of the molecule, which has a tendency to break
up. Currently, PTH measurement is often complicated by the presence of
inactive PTH fragments in blood, which impacts the clinical utility of such
testing. In recognizing the entire PTH molecule, which consists of an 84-amino
acid chain, the Bio-Intact PTH assay has specificity for the immediate
N-terminal region of PTH, which is recognized as being essential for the
biological effect of PTH. The Bio-Intact PTH test uses proprietary antibodies
to bind to the first amino acids in the N-terminal region of the PTH 1-84
sequence.
An independently validated version of the Bio-Intact PTH (1-84) test is
being performed exclusively for physicians, hospitals and commercial
laboratories by Quest Diagnostics' Nichols Institute reference laboratory, in
San Juan Capistrano, Calif., and is being offered throughout the Quest
Diagnostics laboratory network. In addition, Nichols Institute Diagnostics,
also based in San Juan Capistrano, Calif., is developing the test for multiple
platforms. A version of the Bio-Intact PTH (1-84) test has been developed for
its Nichols Advantage(R) automated testing platform and is currently awaiting
FDA clearance.
About Pharis Biotec
Pharis Biotec focuses on development and commercialization of proprietary
discoveries in the field of peptide biology. These activities are targeted for
human therapeutic and diagnostic applications, usually through partnering with
pharmaceutical research and development. Peptides are small proteins that
modulate life functions by shuttling information between organs. Nature has
streamlined these molecules, gradually molding them into perfect regulators of
the complex networks that maintain human life. These peptides, perfected by
nature and developed by Pharis Biotec, have great potential as new drugs for
Osteoporosis, Diabetes mellitus and as antibiotics. Additional company
information can be found on the Internet at: http://www.pharis-biotec.com.
About Nichols Institute Diagnostics
Nichols Institute Diagnostics manufactures and markets worldwide the
highest quality, innovative, specialty immunoassays in the areas of thyroid
function, bone and mineral metabolism, reproduction, growth, hypertension,
anemia, tumor markers and adrenal/pituitary function. Fully-automated and
semi-automated system options are available utilizing advanced direct label
technology to meet the throughput needs of both large and small laboratories.
Intra-operative point-of-surgery patient testing procedures are also
available. Nichols Institute Diagnostics is a wholly owned subsidiary of Quest
Diagnostics Incorporated.
About Quest Diagnostics
Quest Diagnostics is the nation's leading provider of diagnostic testing,
information and services with $3.4 billion in annual revenues. The company's
diagnostic testing yields information that enables health care professionals
and consumers to make better decisions to improve health. Quest Diagnostics
offers patients and physicians the broadest access to diagnostic testing
services through its national network of approximately 30 full-service
laboratories, 150 rapid response laboratories and more than 1,300 patient
service centers, where specimens are collected. Quest Diagnostics is the
leading provider of esoteric testing, including gene-based testing, and is the
leader in routine medical testing, drugs of abuse testing, and
non-hospital-based anatomic pathology testing. Quest Diagnostics empowers
health care organizations and clinicians with state-of-the-art connectivity
solutions that improve practice management. Through partnerships with
pharmaceutical, biotechnology and information technology companies, Quest
Diagnostics provides support to help speed the development of health care
insights and new therapeutics. Additional company information can be found on
the Internet at: http://www.questdiagnostics.com.
The statements in this press release which are not historical facts or
information may be forward-looking statements. These forward-looking
statements involve risks and uncertainties that could cause the outcome to be
materially different. Certain of these risks and uncertainties are listed in
the Quest Diagnostics Incorporated 2000 Form 10-K and subsequent filings.
Nichols Advantage is a trademark of Quest Diagnostics Incorporated.
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SOURCE Quest Diagnostics and Pharis Biotec GmbH
CONTACT: Gary Samuels of Quest Diagnostics, 201-393-5700/