19 November, 2008

Medical devices

Technology associated with PharmiGene's PG 5801 DNA Detection Kit and the PG 5801 FastGel Kit, kits to determine the risk of Allopurinol-induced severe cutaneous adverse reaction (SCAR). This SCAR has strong association with the HLA-B*5801 gene, the presence of which can be detected either using real-time PCR or PCR/Gel electrophoresis.

PharmiGene's PG5801 DNA Detection Kit and the PG 5801 FastGel Kit are Pharmacogenomics-based diagnostics tests which can be used as an aid for clinicians in identifying patients at greater risk of Allopurinol-induced SCAR, life-threatening adverse drug reactions (ADR). Allopurinol is a drug for the treatment of high uric acid and gout. Those with the HLA-B*5801 gene have 700 times more risk of SCAR when taking Allopurinol than those without the gene. In fact, studies in Taiwan and Japan of Allopurinol-induced SJS/TEN ADR noted that 100 percent of studied patients possessed the HLA-B*5801 gene.

The kits are based either on real-time polymerase chain reaction or PCR/ DNA gel electrophoresis technologies with a completion time of only three hours from whole blood sample to final result. The kits offer a quick, accurate, and easy way to assist with physician's critical drug administration decisions with the addition of pharmacogenomic information.

Such a pharmacogenomics-based diagnostics test is a world's first, and a milestone towards personalized medicine.

IP involved in the products include the diagnostics methods, and the links between the HLA-B*5801 gene and the SCAR when on a regime of Allopurinol or Allopurinol analogs. IP is also associated with the kit manufacturing and development processes.

US patents applied: No. 10/705,245, 11/747,674
Taiwan patent applied: No. 96116910
Taiwan patent issued: No. I287580
PCT patents applied: Nos. WO07134235, WO05047544

Registered

Technology license out, product distributor in select international territories, strategy cooperation with pharmaceutical company.

Mr. Liou Yu-Ligh