HRP Initiative to Make Available Biological Specimens, Imaging Studies, and Data from BioImage Study05/20/2010HRP Initiative to Make Available Biological Specimens, Imaging Studies, and Data from BioImage Study for Cardiovascular Biomarkers to Research Community Waltham, MA—May 20, 2010—BG Medicine, Inc., on behalf of the HRP Initiative, announced today that the HRP Initiative is soliciting research proposals and ideas from academic institutions, corporate entities, and professional organizations to leverage biological specimens, imaging studies, and data sets resulting from the BioImage study. BG Medicine launched the HRP Initiative in 2006 to advance the understanding, recognition, and management of atherothrombosis, the underlying disease process that may lead to heart attack or stroke. The HRP Initiative is sponsored by Abbott Pharmaceuticals, AstraZeneca, Merck & Co., Philips Medical Systems, and Takeda Pharmaceuticals. The BioImage study, which completed its enrollment in 2009, aimed to discover and validate new blood or imaging biomarkers to more accurately identify patients at near-term risk for cardiovascular events such as a heart attack or stroke. Contrary to common belief, the majority of heart attacks and strokes occur in people who are classified as being at low to medium risk for atherothrombotic events and are consequently not offered adequate preventive therapy. The BioImage study (ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT00738725) recruited approximately 7,000 Humana members from the Chicago, IL and Ft. Lauderdale, FL areas. Males over the age of 55 and females over the age of 60 were eligible to enroll. Baseline investigations included certain clinical and laboratory measurements, advanced ultrasound examination of the carotid artery, and CT Coronary Artery Calcium Scoring. For further information about the BioImage study, see: http://www.hrpinitiative.com/hrpinit/bioimage The HRP Initiative is now accepting proposals for the use of the biological specimens, imaging studies, and data sets resulting from the BioImage study to academic institutions, corporate entities, and professional organizations to facilitate research aimed at understanding atherothrombotic cardiovascular disease. Proposals that support the objective of improving the detection of individuals at near-term risk for atherothrombotic events or which contribute to the understanding, recognition, or management of atherothrombosis and its clinical manifestations, are eligible for consideration. Proposed research must be funded by the entity submitting the proposal or funded by third-party grants or funds that are solicited and secured by the entity submitting the proposal or the principal investigator. Certain intellectual property and data sharing conditions apply. For further details regarding this Request for Proposal (RFP) and to download the BioImage RFP application, see: http://www.hrpinitiative.com/hrpinit/bioimagerfp |