Astute Medical, Inc. Previews Kidney Week 2015; Study Shows NephroCheck® Biomarkers Signal Risk Of Acute Kidney Injury In Critically Ill Treated With Vancomycin

SAN DIEGO, Nov. 2, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- In a preview of the upcoming American Society of Nephrology (ASN) Kidney Week 2015 meeting, Astute Medical, Inc., developer of the NephroCheck^® Test, today highlighted a study using measurements of the urinary biomarkers TIMP-2 and IGFBP-7 to assess the risk of moderate to severe acute kidney injury (AKI) in hospitalized patients treated with vancomycin. Researchers will present the study "Urinary TIMP-2 and IGFBP7 Elevate Early After Vancomycin Administration in Critically Ill Patients Who Develop AKI" in a poster session at the meeting Exhibit Hall on Saturday, November 7, 2015, from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. Astute's NephroCheck^® Test, which measures TIMP-2 and IGFBP-7, was used in the study.

In recent years, researchers have raised concerns regarding the link between vancomycin and nephrotoxicity that can result in AKI. Vancomycin is an antibiotic used to treat a variety of bacterial infections. It is commonly administered to patients under care in U.S. hospitals. ^[1]

"Vancomycin can provide important benefits to critically ill patients, yet is known to be associated with complications, such as AKI," said Paul McPherson, Astute's chief scientific officer. "Given the tremendous costs, mortality and morbidity associated with AKI, we believe risk assessment of critically ill patients who have susceptibilities for AKI or are exposed to treatments that can cause AKI, such as vancomycin, can help physicians deliver better care that will benefit the patient and healthcare system."

In addition to the vancomycin study, ASN will provide a number of other clinical sessions and presentations related to AKI:

• The Global Burden of AKI (various presenters) – Thursday, November 5, 2015 from 4:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m.
• AKI Tackling a Growing Issue (various presenters) – Saturday, November 7, 2015 from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m.
• Cell Cycle Arrest Biomarkers (presented by Dr. John Kellum) – Saturday, November 7, 2015 from 3 p.m. to 3:30 p.m.

"The medical world acknowledges the increasing threat of AKI, as well as the personal devastation and enormous costs that it can cause," said McPherson. "We are pleased to be part of the effort to improve management of patients at risk for AKI in hospitals throughout the world."

The NephroCheck^® Test is designed to detect the two urinary biomarkers featured in the presentation, TIMP-2 and IGFBP-7. Both biomarkers are involved in a wide array of responses to tissue insult (inflammation, oxidative stress, ultra-violet radiation, drugs and toxins) and are thought to be involved in G1 cell-cycle arrest during the earliest phases of injury to the kidney.^[2],[3]

With results in just 20 minutes, the NephroCheck^® Test helps healthcare professionals evaluate intensive care patients' risk of moderate to severe acute kidney injury in the next 12 hours. The test was created for use alongside clinical evaluation of intensive care patients over 21 who have or have had acute cardiovascular and/or respiratory compromise in the past 24 hours.

Once at-risk patients have been identified and their risk stratified, healthcare professionals can implement kidney-sparing strategies, such as limiting exposure to nephrotoxic drugs, to potentially temper the severe consequences associated with AKI.

Kidney Week 2015 will bring together more than 13,000 kidney professionals from across the globe to exchange knowledge, learn the latest scientific and medical advances, and listen to engaging and provocative discussions with leading experts in the field. The meeting will be held at the San Diego Convention Center from November 3, 2015, through November 8, 2015.

About Astute Medical, Inc.

Selected to the 2014 Fierce 15 by Fierce Medical Devices, Astute Medical is dedicated to improving the diagnosis of high-risk medical conditions and diseases through the identification and validation of protein biomarkers that can serve as the basis for novel diagnostic tests.

The Company's focus is community- and hospital-acquired acute conditions that require rapid diagnosis and risk assessment. Astute Medical's current areas of interest include abdominal pain, acute coronary syndromes, cerebrovascular injury, kidney injury and sepsis.

Astute Medical is a founding corporate partner of 0by25, a human rights initiative aimed at eliminating preventable and treatable deaths from AKI worldwide by 2025.

Astute Medical's NephroCheck^® Test received 510(k)-clearance through the FDA's de novo classification process in September 2014. The test was CE-marked in 2012 and is available in Europe.

For additional information, please visit NephroCheck.com or Astute Medical.com.

For information regarding trademarks and other intellectual property applicable to this product, including international trademarks, please see astutemedical.com/about/intellectual-property. PN0519 Rev A 2015/10/26

[1] Fridkin S, Baggs J, et al. Vital signs: Improving antibiotic use among hospitalized patients. MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep. 2014 Mar 7;63(9): 194-200. 

[2] Kashani K, Al-Khafaji A, Ardiles T, et al. Discovery and validation of cell cycle arrest biomarkers in human acute kidney injury. Crit Care. 2013;17:R25.

[3] Bihorac A, Chawla L, Shaw A, et al. Validation of Cell-Cycle Arrest Biomarkers for Acute Kidney Injury Using Clinical Adjudication. Am J Respir Crit Care Med. Vol 189, Iss 8, pp 932–939, Apr 15, 2014.

SOURCE Astute Medical, Inc.

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