DPC acquires rights to a Key Cardiac Marker.

DPC acquires rights to a Key Cardiac Marker, NT-proBNP, from Roche Diagnostics-Agreement widens access to unique marker for heart failure and allows for better/earlier/improved therapy.

Diagnostic Products Corporation has been granted a non-exclusive license under patent rights of Roche Diagnostics relating to the development, manufacture and marketing of immunoassays that detect a key marker of congestive heart failure (CHF), NT-proBNP (N-terminal prohormone brain natriuretic peptide).

B-type natriuretic peptide (BNP) is secreted by the left ventricle when the heart is unable to pump blood efficiently. BNP dilates blood vessels and promotes sodium and water loss, reducing fluid load on the heart and improving cardiac performance. Synthetic BNP, marketed as Natrecor® (nesiritide), is a treatment for heart failure. Thus, measuring BNP does not necessarily allow the physician to differentiate between elevated BNP levels due to drug treatment and elevated BNP due to ventricular dysfunction.

Prevalence of heart failure is expected to continue to rise, due to the aging population and increase in acute coronary syndrome survival. Heart failure is often difficult to diagnose, since its symptoms are nonspecific and are sometimes confused with those of other conditions such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Echocardiography, the currently used standard for diagnosis of left ventricular dysfunction, is expensive and not always easily accessible.