RESEARCH TRIANGLE PARK, N.C., June 23, 2014 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Metabolon, Inc., a global leader in metabolomics, announced today that it will sponsor a pilot study to evaluate its Quantose IRTM test as a monitor of glycemic control in people with prediabetes. The study, which will monitor prediabetic subjects using Quantose IR, hemoglobin A1c and fasting plasma glucose (FPG) results over a 12-week period, will be conducted by the Cardiovascular Center for Clinical Research at Geisinger Medical Center in Danville, PA. Study participants will be on a regimen of metformin, diet and exercise.
"As a physician, being able to identify which patients with prediabetes are at greatest risk for developing type 2 diabetes and which are at lowest risk would be extraordinarily helpful," commented Peter Berger, M.D., chair of cardiology, study investigator and director of the Cardiovascular Center for Clinical Research at Geisinger. "Diabetes affects nearly 900,000 adults in Pennsylvania, which is nine percent of the population. There are three times as many adults with prediabetes; that's 2.7 million people! Many will progress to full-blown diabetes, so we are eager to explore the use of a new test that may help us identify which patients need the most aggressive therapy to prevent the development of diabetes and which are at lowest risk and need less aggressive therapy."
Quantose IR is a convenient, cost-effective test that requires only a single fasting blood sample. The test measures the blood concentration levels of specific metabolites that reflect insulin resistance, an early indication of prediabetes.
"We are pleased to work with Dr. Berger's research team at Geisinger and hope this collaboration is the beginning of an ongoing partnership," said John Ryals, Ph.D., president and CEO of Metabolon. "This study is important because it has the potential to document the effectiveness of Quantose IR as a monitor for prediabetes therapy. Our goal is to provide physicians with a new tool that can track changes in insulin resistance that may be missed by other glycemic tests such as fasting plasma glucose and hemoglobin A1c."
The vast majority of people with prediabetes don't know they have it. A person with prediabetes has a blood sugar level higher than normal, but not high enough for a diagnosis of type 2 diabetes. If left untreated, individuals with prediabetes are at higher risk of progressing to type 2 diabetes, for which there is no cure. Research has shown that many of the complications associated with diabetes are already developing during the prediabetes phase. Diabetes is a leading cause of heart disease, stroke, kidney disease, blindness and amputation.
About Quantose IR
Quantose IR is a laboratory-developed test (LDT) that reflects insulin resistance. This blood test is based on insulin and three recently identified non-glycemic biomarkers. It assesses risk of progression to prediabetes earlier than traditional glycemic measures such a hemoglobin A1c. By reflecting insulin resistance, Quantose IR provides clinicians with useful information that goes beyond glycemic measures to stratify their patients by level of insulin sensitivity.
About Geisinger
Geisinger Health System is an integrated health services organization widely recognized for its innovative use of the electronic health record and the development of innovative care models such as ProvenHealth Navigator® and ProvenCare®. As one of the nation's largest rural health services organizations, Geisinger serves more than 2.6 million residents throughout 44 counties in central and northeast Pennsylvania. The physician-led system is comprised of more than 21,000 employees, including a 1,100-member multi-specialty group practice, eight hospital campuses, two research centers and a 467,000-member health plan. The health system and the health plan have repeatedly garnered national accolades for integration, quality and service. In addition to fulfilling its patient care mission, Geisinger has a long-standing commitment to medical education, research and community service. For more information, visit www.geisinger.org.
About Metabolon
Metabolon, Inc. is a world-leading, commercial-stage metabolomics company whose expertise is embraced by companies in the pharmaceutical, biotechnology, consumer products, agricultural, pet care and nutrition industries, as well as government and academic institutions. Founded in 2000, the company is pioneering the emerging field of biochemical pathway analysis for biomarker discovery and development of innovative, cost-effective diagnostic tests. Metabolon's technology is the product of more than 12 years of R&D and is powered by its proprietary Metabolyzer™ software. Its metabolytics business has conducted more than 3,000 collaborative studies with over 600 clients to identify diseases, discover biomarkers, and better understand complex biological processes. Metabolon's diagnostics business consists of tests that enable early detection for the effective prevention of obesity-related diseases and monitoring tests for cancer. For more information, please visit www.metabolon.com.
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