Protagen Collaborates in Endometriosis Biomarker Project

Protagen AG, a specialist for in-vitro diagnostics, has announced that it is to collaborate with Bayer HealthCare Pharmaceuticals on the clinical validation of Endometriosis biomarkers. The project will build on the results of the Endometriosis biomarker discovery study performed last year.

Endometriosis is a gynaecological condition which occurs in roughly 5-10% of women worldwide. It occurs when uterine cells grow outside of the uterine cavity, often on the ovaries. The debilitating condition can cause recurrent pelvic pain of varying severity, constipation, fatigue and infertility issues in sufferers.

Protagen has successfully developed the proprietary UNIarray® technology platform for the development of novel, non-invasive diagnostic tests based on auto-antibody signatures in human blood.

The ‘gold standard’ diagnostic test for endometriosis is currently laparoscopy, a visual inspection of the abdominal organs followed by surgical removal and examination of lesions. The collaborative project to be undertaken by Protagen AG and Bayer Healthcare Pharmaceutical, is aimed at employing the UNIarray® technology for the predictive diagnosis of Endometriosis.

“With the targeted advancement of the UNIarray® technology platform, Protagen has developed into a preferred partner for drug development companies”, states Dr. Peter Schulz-Knappe, CSO and Executive Vice President Diagnostics at Protagen, “now we can directly support our collaboration partners in pharma and biotech in all clinical Phases I-IV with the development of therapy specific diagnostic assays. Besides Endometriosis, our technology is applied in autoimmune diseases like Multiple Sclerosis, chronic inflammatory diseases and cancer. Cooperation partners are, amongst others, Bayer, Biogen-Idec und SuppreMol”.

In order to understand the biochemical and molecular biological processes of Endometriosis, new technologies like UNIarray® are becoming increasingly important. Improving the predictive diagnosis of Endometriosis should help to improve patient’s quality of life.