the trelys funds  
innovation, cultivation, growth
Press

Metabolon Collaborates on Biomarker Study for Huntington’s Disease
01.19.05

Researchers from Metabolon and High Q Foundation will be involved in a project to identify unique biomarkers for Huntington’s Disease.

RESEARCH TRIANGLE PARK, NC – Metabolon, Inc., a leader in the application of metabolomics to design novel therapies, today announced its collaboration with the High Q Foundation on a new biomarker study for Huntington’s Disease (HD). HD is a degenerative brain disorder that at present has no effective treatment or cure. More than a quarter of a million Americans have HD or are at risk of inheriting the disease from an affected parent. Metabolon will test plasma samples obtained from patients using its industry-leading metabolomics platform that searches for signatures of HD by measuring the spectrum of biochemical changes and mapping these changes to metabolic pathways. Specifically, researchers from Metabolon and High Q Foundation will try to find key biomarkers that will differentiate controls and early-stage and late-stage disease. In other neurodegenerative studies, Metabolon has established metabolic profiles from the blood of ALS patients that differentiate various disease groups from one another as well as from healthy control groups. "Currently, there is no way to halt or reverse the neurodegenerative effects of Huntington’s Disease, and physicians are only able to prescribe medications that treat the symptoms of HD," said Dr. John Ryals, president and CEO of Metabolon. "Working with the High Q Foundation, we will search for key biomarkers that could lead to new therapeutics in the treatment of this devastating disease." The High Q Foundation was established in 2002 with the mission of bringing together academia, industry, governmental agencies and other funding organizations in the search of treatments for HD. It supports numerous projects related to HD, including basic research, a drug-discovery program and clinical studies. "Metabolon is a leader in the field of metabolomics and the discovery of biomarkers," said Dr. Allan Tobin, senior scientific advisor to the High Q Foundation. "We are hopeful that the outcome of our collaboration will result in novel biomarkers that could aid in the development of a new treatment for Huntington’s Disease."

About Metabolon
Metabolon is an industry leader in the discovery of biomarkers through the use of metabolomics, a powerful and new scientific approach for the discovery and development of drugs and the early diagnosis of disease states. Metabolon's patent-pending technology is poised to dramatically impact drug discovery and development processes by accurately measuring the spectrum of biochemical changes and mapping these changes to metabolic pathways. Metabolon's technology can identify safer compounds for development, shorten the time for drugs to get to market and identify novel biomarkers for earlier disease detection. For additional information, visit www.metabolon.com.


© the trelys funds