A Monoclonal Antibody Specific for Apolipoprotein A

Introduction Diagnosing the risk of developing heart disease is commonly done by measuring levels of cholesterol, HDLs, LDLs, and triglycerides. Lipoprotein A is an additional marker that is gaining support as being a determinant of heart disease. Thus, an ability to accurately detect and measure levels of Lipoprotein A has value as a predictor of heart disease. Technology description The structure of lipoprotein A is very similar to that of LDL, but is distinguishable from LDL by its association with a moiety termed apolipoprotein(a). Apolipoprotein A is difficult to measure for two reasons: it has a repeating structure whose repeat numbers vary and thus may be bound by a variable number of antibody molecules, and it has a structure very similar to another blood protein called plasminogen. As a result, it is very difficult to generate a monoclonal antibody that binds only once per Apolipoprotein A molecule, and does not cross-react plasminogen. The monoclonal antibody described here has the unique ability to specifically bind to lipoprotein A in a quantitative manner. Business opportunity This antibody can be used in both diagnostic and research assays to determine both the presence and amount of apolipoprotein(a) in test samples. Stage of development The antibody is well-characterized. The inventors are currently developing a more sensitive and more cost-effective apolipoprotein(a) assay.

Patents:
US 5,712,157

Type of Offer: Licensing



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