New biomarker test could advance the treatment of systemic lupus erythematosus

To coincide with World Lupus Day, Oxford Gene Technology has announced the development of a new biomarker panel for the accurate diagnosis of systemic lupus erythematosus.

Oxford Gene Technology (OGT), a provider of genetics research and biomarker solutions, based in Oxford (UK), has developed a novel autoantibody biomarker panel for improved diagnosis of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE).

The panel, which was formulated in collaboration with King’s College London (London, UK), utilizes OGT’s proprietary protein array platform technology in the detection of autoantibodies, a class of proteins that has been demonstrated to precede clinical symptoms of SLE by several years. Rigorous validation of the panel in two independent sample cohorts also revealed that the test is capable of accurately discriminating between SLE and ‘confounding diseases’, such as rheumatoid arthritis.

SLE affects at least 5 million people worldwide, and is a notoriously challenging disease to diagnose, with widely variable symptoms that are inconsistent in patients. Current diagnosis involves comparison of the patient’s symptoms against 11 pre-set criteria, established by the American College of Rheumatology. Existing laboratory tests comprise antinuclear antibody testing and anti-double stranded DNA testing, both of which present moderate sensitivity and specificity and, as such, require additional data to support diagnosis of SLE.

According to a press release from OGT, the newly developed panel would allow for earlier and more accurate diagnosis, addressing the shortcomings of current tests. Mike Evans, Chief Executive Officer at OGT, commented, “By correctly identifying the presence of SLE at an earlier stage, patients will receive faster access to the most appropriate treatment.”

OGT is also discussions with SLE drug developers regarding potential prognostic applications of the biomarker, such as in determining the occurrence and frequency of relapse, so that treatment regimens may be tailored towards the patient.

Source: OGT marks World Lupus Day with announcement of novel biomarker panel.