16 May 2012, BioSpectrum Bureau , BioSpectrum
Singapore: Critical Diagnostics, a US-based biomarker company focused on cardiovascular diseases, added two distribution partners in the Asia Pacific region for its Presage ST2 Assay. These appointments come on the heels of three distributor deals announced in March.
The Presage ST2 Assay quantitatively measures the level of ST2 in blood. ST2 has been shown to be a significant predictor of mortality as well as all-cause hospitalization, mortality due to cardiovascular disease, and hospitalization due to cardiovascular disease.
ST2 is prognostic for clinically important outcomes in addition to all-cause mortality. Levels of ST2 are independent and complementary to natriuretic peptide markers, such as BNP and NT-proBNP, and not adversely affected by such confounding factors as age, gender, body mass index and impaired renal function.
Critical Diagnostics has chosen Chennai Medipoint as exclusive distributor in India, Nepal, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and the Maldives. Headquartered in Chennai, Chennai Medipoint's overriding corporate strategy is to introduce early stage cardiovascular technologies into India, South Asia and Middle East markets, with a primary focus on heart failure management via goal-directed medicine. The company is guided by an internationally credentialed advisory board, including a number of pre-eminent cardiologists.
Additionally, Innovative Biotech has been selected to act as exclusive distributor in Singapore, Malaysia and Myanmar. Innovative Biotech was incorporated 1994 and is a subsidiary of Rotary Engineering, a public company listed in the Stock Exchange of Singapore. The company's primary business is in the sales and marketing of medical, healthcare and biotechnology products to the research institution, universities, regulatory boards, clinical lab, hospital, industrial clients and resellers.
"The World Health Organization predicts the current decade will likely see greater than 60 percent of the world's cardiac patients originating from South Asia," notes Mr John Butterfield, vice president, business development for Critical Diagnostics in Asia Pacific. "Represented by our local partners, Critical Diagnostics is understandably confident that the Presage ST2 assay will contribute to providing better treatment management tools to health professionals and better outcomes for cardiac disease patients for many years to come."
"We are very excited about the response we've had from potential international partners, not only in Asia Pacific, but in other regions of the world, too," states Mr James Snider, president, Critical Diagnostics. "We expect to make more announcements shortly about further expansion plans in these areas, as well as in the US."