Biomarker of Cartilage Degradation

A novel biochemical marker of joint-tissue breakdown is designed for use in clinical trials of new therapies for arthritis.

The immunoassay, called Syncart (helix-II), shows urinary degradation fragment of type II collagen. The breakdown of type II collagen is a specific indicator of cartilage destruction in rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis, two highly prevalent and debilitating joint diseases collectively afflicting more than 15% of the world's population.

Details on the immunoassay were provided in the April 2005 issue of Arthritis and Rheumatism. The immunoassay was developed by Synarc, Inc. (Lyon, France), a leading provider of centralized molecular marker and imaging services for clinical trials of the pharmaceutical, biotechnology, and medical devices industries.

"Syncart helps identify early arthritis patients who are at high risk of rapidly progressive joint destruction and therefore in need of aggressive structure-modifying therapy,” explained Patrick Garnero, DSc., Ph.D., vice president and general manager of molecular marker services for Synarc in Lyon. "By identifying ideal candidates for clinical trials, this new biochemical marker helps reduce the time and cost of drug development aimed at preserving joint integrity in arthritis.”




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