Guest guest Posted September 4, 2002 Report Share Posted September 4, 2002 FDA Approves Fred Hutchinson Center Lupus Test NEW YORK (Reuters Health) Aug 28 - The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved a new screening test for lupus developed by the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, the Seattle-based non-profit institution said on Wednesday. According to the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, because symptoms of lupus can range from skin rash and mild fatigue to organ failure, diagnosis can be difficult. The traditional diagnostic blood test relies on the detection of autoreactive antibodies, but about one-fifth of lupus patients do not exhibit such antibodies, and therefore go undiagnosed. The newly approved test detects SR proteins, which a spokeswoman for the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center said are produced by between 50% and 70% of all lupus patients. As such, the new test is not a replacement for a traditional blood screen, she said. But when used in conjunction, the two tests together are expected to detect about 20% of SLE cases that have previously gone unidentified. With the approval, the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center is now looking for a partner to commercialize the technology, but the spokeswoman said she is unaware of any actual negotiations that are ongoing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You are posting as a guest. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.