PipelineReview.com - Biotech News & Online Store - Celera and Collaborators Discover Genetic Markers Associated with Early-Onset Heart Attacks; Findings from Three Studies Involving 2,000 Individuals from Multiple Institutions Could Improve Understanding of Disease Mechanisms

Celera and Collaborators Discover Genetic Markers Associated with Early-Onset Heart Attacks; Findings from Three Studies Involving 2,000 Individuals from Multiple Institutions Could Improve Understanding of Disease Mechanisms

12 May 2006

ROCKVILLE, MD, USA | May 11, 2006 | Celera Genomics (NYSE:CRA), an Applera Corporation business, the University of

California, San Francisco (UCSF), Cleveland Clinic, Case Western Reserve University and Brigham Young University, today announced a publication describing two novel genetic markers associated with an increased risk for myocardial infarction (MI), or heart attack. Neither of the two gene variants, VAMP8 and HNRPUL1, has previously been associated with MI. This paper will appear in the July 2006 edition of Arteriosclerosis, Thrombosis and Vascular Biology, and is currently available on the publication's website at http://atvb.ahajournals.org/.

The retrospective research study performed in samples from over 2,000 individuals in three case-control studies identified two genetic variations known as single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) that are associated with increased risk for early-onset heart attack. The study identified novel genetic markers in two genes: VAMP8, which is involved in platelet aggregation; and HNRPUL1, which encodes a ribonuclear protein.

"A number of studies have identified genes linked to increased heart attack risk, but many of the studies have been made with a single cohort of patients and have not been replicated. This study involved three sequential cohorts, and applied statistical analysis that provides the likelihood that these are indeed true associations," said John P. Kane, M.D., Ph.D., Professor of medicine at UCSF and Associate Director of UCSF's Cardiovascular Research Institute, a collaborator and a co-author of the study.

"In order for genetic marker studies to translate into diagnostic tests with significant medical impact, discovery study results must be reproducible and applicable to a wide group of people," said Tom White, Ph.D., Chief Scientific Officer at Celera Genomics. "Too often, when new markers are reported, the disease association cannot be confirmed because the study used a small sample set that was not representative of other samples sets. In addition, a spurious disease association could be found due to chance alone if a large number of SNPs are tested. The size of this study and the identification of VAMP8 and HNRPUL1, coupled with other prospective studies of the general population underway at Celera, are providing valuable insight toward the development of a Genetic Risk Score(TM) that may be used just as conventional risk factors are used to identify individuals at elevated risk for heart disease."

"Large scale studies like this one, with well-characterized samples from carefully selected patients allow the identification of genetic markers for risk of early-onset MI, which could potentially be incorporated into individual risk assessment protocols," said Stephen G. Ellis, M.D. Director, Sones Cardiac Department of Cardiovascular Medicine, and Professor of Medicine at the Cleveland Clinic Lerner College of Medicine of Case Western Reserve University, a collaborator and a co-author of the study.

Summary of Scientific Findings

Celera evaluated DNA samples from more than 2,000 individuals in three studies to compare patterns of genetic variation in people with a history of early-onset MI to those with no history of MI. The results were significant in all three studies.

The key finding of the study was that variants of the VAMP8 and HNRPUL1 genes were associated with early-onset MI and had the same risk variants in all three studies. These genetic markers were identified through a genome-wide study of an initial 11,647 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in 7,136 genes, focusing on SNPs that could influence gene function in order to increase the likelihood of identifying disease-causing gene variants. These were tested for association with early-onset MI in three case-control study studies with a total of 821 cases and 1,200 controls.

About Myocardial Infarction

Commonly known as a heart attack, a myocardial infarction occurs when a coronary artery is blocked, restricting blood flow to the heart. MI is a multi-factorial disease associated with both environmental and genetic factors. Some of the major risk factors associated with MI include high LDL cholesterol, high blood pressure, diabetes, smoking and obesity. Although major risk factors are associated with the majority of MI events, it is difficult to predict individual outcomes based on these risk factors, and many people do not have symptoms of coronary disease before their first MI. This year an estimated 700,000 Americans will experience their first coronary attack, according to the American Heart Association. Approximately 7.6 million people in the United States age 20 and older have survived a heart attack.

About Applera Corporation and Celera Genomics

Applera Corporation consists of two operating groups. The Celera Genomics Group uses proprietary genomics and proteomics discovery platforms to develop molecular diagnostic products and to identify and validate novel drug targets. Celera maintains a strategic alliance in molecular diagnostics with Abbott. In addition, Celera is developing new molecular diagnostic and pharmacogenomic assays outside of its alliance with Abbott. Therapeutic antibodies against Celera-discovered drug targets are being advanced through strategic partnerships. The Applied Biosystems Group serves the life science industry and research community by developing and marketing instrument-based systems, consumables, software, and services. Customers use these tools to analyze nucleic acids (DNA and RNA), small molecules, and proteins to make scientific discoveries and develop new pharmaceuticals. Applied Biosystems' products also serve the needs of some markets outside of life science research, which we refer to as "applied markets," such as the fields of: human identity testing (forensic and paternity testing); biosecurity, which refers to products needed in response to the threat of biological terrorism and other malicious, accidental, and natural biological dangers; and quality and safety testing, for example in food and the environment. Applied Biosystems is headquartered in Foster City, CA, and reported sales of nearly $1.8 billion during fiscal 2005. Information about Applera Corporation, including reports and other information filed by the company with the Securities and Exchange Commission, is available at http://www.applera.com, or by telephoning 800.762.6923. Information about Celera Genomics is available at http://www.celera.com.

Forward-Looking Statements

Certain statements in this press release are forward-looking. These may be identified by the use of forward-looking words or phrases such as "believe," "expect," "plan," and "should," among others. These forward-looking statements are based on Applera Corporation's current expectations. The Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 provides a "safe harbor" for such forward-looking statements. In order to comply with the terms of the safe harbor, Applera notes that a variety of factors could cause actual results and experience to differ materially from the anticipated results or other expectations expressed in such forward-looking statements. These factors include but are not limited to: (1) uncertainty in obtaining intellectual property protection for inventions made by Celera; (2) unproven ability of Celera to discover, develop, and commercialize diagnostic products based on findings from its disease association studies; (3) unproven use of genomics information to develop diagnostic products; (4) uncertainty as to whether Celera will be able to obtain any required regulatory approval of its diagnostic products; (5) uncertainty of market acceptance of its products, including the risk that its products will not be competitive with products offered by other companies, or that users will not be entitled to receive adequate reimbursement for its products from third party payors such as private insurance companies and government insurance plans; and (6) other factors that might be described from time to time in Applera's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. All information in this press release is as of the date of the release, and Applera does not undertake any duty to update this information, including any forward-looking statements, unless required by law.

Copyright(C) 2006. Applera Corporation. All rights reserved. Applied Biosystems and Celera are registered trademarks and Applera, Celera Genomics and Genetic Risk Score are trademarks of Applera Corporation or its subsidiaries in the US and certain other countries.

CONTACT: Celera Genomics
David Speechly, Ph.D., 510-749-1853
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SOURCE: Celera Genomics

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