BG Medicine Acquires Exclusive Rights to Biomarkers of Congestive Heart Failure from ACS Biomarker05/23/2007BG Medicine plans to develop and commercialize molecular diagnostic tests for the prognosis of patients with congestive heart failure May 23, 2007 -- Waltham, Mass. and Maastricht, The Netherlands. BG Medicine Inc. (“BG Medicine”) and ACS Biomarker B.V. i.o. (“ACS Biomarker”) today announced that they have entered into an agreement granting BG Medicine rights to develop and commercialize a biomarker-based molecular diagnostic test as a prognostic indicator of congestive heart failure (CHF). ACS Biomarker, with technology exclusively licensed from the University of Maastricht and other parties, is being founded to develop and commercialize cardiovascular biomarkers discovered at the Cardiovascular Research Institute Maastricht (CARIM). Under the terms of the agreement, BG Medicine has exclusive, worldwide sublicense from ACS Biomarker to rights owned by the University of Maastricht and the Academic Hospital Maastricht to develop and commercialize galectin-3 and another blood-plasma biomarker in the field of CHF. Yigal Pinto, Professor of Cardiology and one of the founders of ACS Biomarker, discovered galectin-3 in 2003 as a potential marker for heart failure (HF) prognosis following an initial HF event. A collaborative study between researchers at the University of Maastricht and Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston, Mass. found a correlation between a diagnosis of acute heart failure and elevated levels of galectin-3 and another protein. In this study, galectin-3 was shown to be a significant predictor of the risk of re-occurrence of heart failure or death in patients with heart failure within 60 days. Congestive heart failure, a condition in which the heart cannot pump enough blood to the rest of the body, affects an estimated 5 million people in the United States. CHF may result from a variety of causes, including narrowing of the coronary arteries, a previous heart attack, chronic high blood pressure, or defects of the heart valves or muscle itself. Patients typically present with rather non-specific symptoms such as swollen legs or ankles, shortness of breath, or weight gain. CHF is a serious medical condition with an estimated 50% 5-year mortality – higher than many forms of cancer. To treat CHF effectively, and avoid its more serious complications, doctors need to make an accurate diagnosis and predict the expected course of the patient’s condition. “Galectin-3 may play a very important future role in the management of patients with heart failure,” said Dr. James L Januzzi, Jr., Associate Professor of Medicine, Harvard Medical School, and Director of the Coronary Care Unit at Massachusetts General Hospital. “Data from studies demonstrate that galectin-3 testing is incrementally useful to other established methods for risk assessment, and can thus help physicians better identify those patients who need the most intensive forms of therapy, monitoring and support. Matching the level of care to an individual patient’s need should also improve the cost-effectiveness of care.” “We are excited about this license and collaboration agreement with BG Medicine,” said Professor Mat Daemen, one of the founders of ACS Biomarker and Scientific Director of CARIM. “BG Medicine has established itself as a leader in the discovery and development of cardiovascular biomarkers, and it is well-positioned to develop a molecular diagnostic test based on galectin-3 for patients with CHF that could benefit patients, providers and payors”. “This partnership with one of the leading European cardiovascular research centers is an illustration of how well we can leverage our international relationships to develop critically needed molecular diagnostic products for both the U.S. and international markets,” said Pieter Muntendam, MD, President and CEO of BG Medicine. “Galectin-3 is an excellent biomarker for us because of its profile as a prognostic marker that may enable more cost-effective management of CHF – one of the most costly medical conditions of old-age.” Under the terms of the agreement, BG Medicine will pursue the development, regulatory approval and commercialization of molecular diagnostic tests for CHF based on galectin-3, and has been granted certain preferential rights to develop and commercialize other biomarkers of ACS Biomarker. ACS Biomarker has granted BG Medicine exclusive worldwide development and commercial rights in exchange for milestone payments as well as royalties based on net sales and sublicensing income of products commercialized under the license. About Biomarkers About ACS Biomarker BV i.o.
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