Study Shows Nanosphere Verisens(TM) CTnI Ultra-Sensitive Troponin I Assay Predicts Heart Failure Deterioration

NORTHBROOK, Ill., Dec. 17, 2010 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- A clinical study released online by the European Journal of Heart Failure, a publication of the European Society of Cardiology, demonstrates the value of using Nanosphere's (Nasdaq:NSPH) Verisens™ cTnI assay (RUO) to detect very low levels of troponin I in hospitalized patients with heart failure.*

The research, conducted at the Veterans Affairs (VA) Hospital in San Diego, was part of the "Veterans Affairs Effects of Therapy" study. In addition to the VA, there were investigators from UCSD and the Cleveland Clinic. The study employing the Verisens™ assay for troponin I involved 144 patients discharged with acute heart failure, who were followed for 90 days. 

Both the BNP and the Verisens™ cTnI assay were tested on blood drawn at admission, discharge, and up to four consecutive days while hospitalized. The new Verisens™ cTnI assay could quantitatively measure troponin I in more than 99% of blood samples. Even at low concentrations, troponin I in the higher quartiles identified increased risk of death and re-hospitalization for patients. Additionally, patients who had rising levels at any concentration while treated in the hospital, had a higher risk of death. Of further note, these results were statistically significant for the Verisens™ cTnI assay, but not for BNP.

"These results are already proving the value of the Nanosphere Verisens™ technology's unmatched sensitivity to measure protein biomarkers, such as low levels of troponin I in heart failure patients," emphasized Winton Gibbons, Senior Vice President of Business Development at Nanosphere.

Additionally, Dr. Alan Maisel, an investigator on the study and well-know expert in biomarkers for heart failure comments that, "We have proven serial sampling of high sensitivity troponin levels in patients admitted for acute heart failure will accomplish two things. First, it will help rule out occlusion of a coronary artery (low levels of troponin) as a cause for decompensation.  Secondly, it will help risk stratify patients.  Eventually this will allow us to use these high-sensitive levels to target with newer 'anti-ischemic' drugs."