Biopool International Acquires New Technology for Early Detection of Heparin-Induced Thrombocytopenia

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Researchers at the University of Alberta Hospitals led by Laboratory Scientist Michael Stewart have developed a blood test kit that uses luminography to detect platelet activation by heparin-antibody complexes, enabling early detection of heparin-induced thrombocytopenia (HIT). The technology has been acquired by Biopool International, Inc. and is set to revolutionize the diagnosis of this potentially life-threatening condition, which affects 6-10% of patients receiving heparin therapy.

Key Takeaways:

  • Biopool International has acquired a new technology developed at the University of Alberta Hospitals for the early detection of heparin-induced thrombocytopenia (HIT).
  • The technology uses luminography to detect platelet activation by heparin-antibody complexes, allowing for rapid detection of HIT in as little as one hour.
  • The new test kit has been shown to be 100% effective in detecting HIT in cases tested by research investigators.
  • The market for the test kit is still unknown, but its ease of use and speed offer a considerable improvement over the cumbersome procedure currently used by a limited number of laboratories, which requires the use of radioactive tracers.
  • Michael D. Bick, Ph.D., chairman and chief executive officer of Biopool, stated that the test represents a marked improvement over currently used procedures and offers the possibility of early intervention for individuals at high risk for HIT.
  • The new kit will be offered for sale outside the U.S. in early 1996, and an application is expected to be submitted to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in the first half of 1996.
  • Biopool International develops and manufactures test kits to assess and diagnose disorders of blood coagulation, thrombotic risk factors, fibrinolysis, platelet function, and the vascular system, as well as specialty chemistry controls used to monitor and measure the presence of therapeutic drugs and drugs of abuse.

Statistics:

  • 6-10% of patients receiving heparin therapy are at risk of developing HIT.
  • The current procedure for detecting HIT requires the use of radioactive tracers and is time-consuming.
  • The new Biopool test kit can detect HIT in as little as one hour.
  • The test kit is 100% effective in detecting HIT in cases tested by research investigators.
  • The Biopool procedure is a considerable improvement over the cumbersome procedure currently used by a limited number of laboratories.

Sources:

  • University of Alberta Hospitals
  • Biopool International, Inc. (Nasdaq: BIPL)
  • British Journal of Haematology
  • U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA)