The Technology
Augurex’s lead technology, 14-3-3η is a novel biomarker and arthritis
drug target. It is a protein that is normally present inside of cells but in people
with arthritis it is released into the joints and causes harmful molecules to break
down joint tissue. 14-3-3η is not only present in
the joints of arthritis patients but is also measurable in blood which makes this
protein particularly useful for managing arthritis patients and following their
disease progression through a simple blood test. Extracellular 14-3-3η has the following
applications.
14-3-3η Biomarker Blood Tests
The 14-3-3η protein may be directly measured in blood using Augurex’s
ELISA blood test and can be read on standard readers typically available in
clinical laboratories. The protein is also measurable with a drop of blood making
it feasible to test for the protein on a near-patient (or point-of-care) device.
Because 14-3-3η is not normally present outside of cells, in the disease state, the
body mounts an immune response generating 14-3-3η auto-antibodies. These may
also be measured through a simple blood test and provide complementary disease
information to the 14-3-3η protein.
The 14-3-3η blood test has applications for patient diagnosis whereby a positive test
indicates a 5 to 50 times greater likelihood of having RA and may assist in identifying
patients with high risk of joint damage progression or response to certain therapies.
Potential uses include measurement alone or in combination with other blood tests to
independently inform the disease. Follow the links below for peer reviewed publications
related to the 14-3-3η protein blood test.
Extracellular 14-3-3η: An Early Pathogenic Factor. Presentation #378. ACR2011
Anthony Marotta, Vivian Bykerk, Katherine A. Siminovitch, Maarten Boers, Robert Landewé, Désirée van der Heijde, Paul-Peter Tak, Mark C. Genovese, Michael E. Weinblatt, Walter P. Maksymowych
Serum 14-3-3η: A Rheumatoid Arthritis Biomarker. Presentation #358. ACR2011
Walter P. Maksymowych, Robert Landewé, Désirée van der Heijde, Paul-Peter Tak, Anthony Marotta
14-3-3η: A Novel Mediator Upregulated by TNFα, Reflects Clinical Response to Anti-TNFα Therapy. Presentation #428. ACR2011
Walter P. Maksymowych and Anthony Marotta
Serum 14-3-3η: A Novel Biomarker of Rheumatoid Arthritis. Presentation #SAT0406. EULAR2011
Walter P. Maksymowych, Robert Landewé, Désirée van der Heijde, Paul-Peter Tak, Anthony Marotta
14-3-3η as a Drug Target
The 14-3-3η protein plays a causal role in the development of inflammatory
arthritis. A recent study shows that in a cell-based system it causes harmful substances
to be produced that are established contributors to disease. With Augurex’s series
of monoclonal antibodies (drugs that specifically target the protein) its effects can be
blocked. Follow the links below to view a publications that explain in more detail how
14-3-3η is a novel drug target.
Extracellular 14-3-3η: A Novel Mediator of Inflammation Associated with Selective Activation of Intracellular Pathways. Presentation #1836. ACR2011
Anthony Marotta, Yuan Gui, Aziz Ghahary, Ruhangiz Kilani, Walter P. Maksymowych
Extracellular 14-3-3η: A Novel Therapeutic Target for Inflammatory Arthritis. Presentation #OP0219. EULAR2011
Walter P. Maksymowych, Robert Landewé, Désirée van der Heijde, Paul-Peter Tak, Anthony Marotta
14-3-3η Personalized Medicine
In the development of RA and other inflammatory types of arthritis multiple factors contribute
to varying degrees in different patients. Therefore targeted therapies are highly beneficial
that focus on the most prominent disease contributors in individual patients. The anti-14-3-3η
drug development programs will be significantly facilitated by the 14-3-3η blood test which
would serve as a companion biomarker to specifically identify subjects/patients that are likely
to respond to the therapy. Serial measurements with the blood test can also indicate how well the
anti-14-3-3η drug is working which is the ideal therapeutic management scenario that 14-3-3η
personalized medicine aims to fulfill.
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