September 22, 2003 04:20 PM US Pacific Timezone


SAN DIEGO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Sept. 22, 2003

PrecisionMed today announced the launch of a new PrecisionMed Sample Bank collection in Late Onset Alzheimer's Disease (LOAD) for genetics, proteomics and molecular diagnostics research. In this new collection PrecisionMed is compiling comprehensive cognition data including the following rating scales: Clinical Dementia Rating (CDR), Mini Mental Status Exam (MMSE) and the ADAS-cog as well as detailed demographic information. This controlled collection will supplement an existing Alzheimer's disease sample collection, which includes matched control subjects collected over the past two years and stored in the PrecisionMed sample bank.

PrecisionMed's sample bank is a repository of human blood, DNA, RNA, serum, plasma and other body fluid products linked to anonymous audited clinical data. All samples are collected from consented subjects under Institutional Review Board (IRB)-approved protocols. Sample and data collection and management procedures are compliant with 2003 HIPAA regulations.

Samples are available to the pharmaceutical industry for use in drug discovery and development, therapeutic target validation and molecular diagnostic product development. PrecisionMed provides customer's access to samples with associated clinical information from a population of disease-specific subjects and healthy matched controls. PrecisionMed is rapidly expanding its collections to include additional neuropsychiatric, and neurodegenerative diseases.

PrecisionMed contracts with major biopharmaceutical and biotechnology companies. Immediately available collections with matched controls include depression, Late Onset Alzheimer's Disease, rheumatoid arthritis, cystic fibrosis, and schizophrenia. PrecisionMed has pending collections in mild cognitive impairment and bipolar disorder. PrecisionMed's samples are provided to customers free of commercial incumbency, and all samples are appropriately consented.

"The scientific value of genetic samples is a function of the integrity of the clinical phenotypic information," said Dr. John Flax, president and CEO of PrecisionMed. "Genotyping and other basic science aspects of this exciting approach to pharmaceutical development are often commoditized, but the selection of appropriate subjects and accurate subject phenotyping present special challenges."

"Samples offered by PrecisionMed have been collected with full knowledge and understanding of the regulatory environment surrounding consent, sample collection and use of samples for scientific innovation," said Dr. Flax. "PrecisionMed sample bank provides researchers rapid access to genetic material and appropriate clinical data."

About PrecisionMed

PrecisionMed Inc., founded in 1994, is a privately held human biobank in the San Diego area. PrecisionMed collects, banks and markets human genetic material including proteins and metabolites linked to audited clinical phenotypic information.


About PrecisionMed, Inc.

PrecisionMed Inc. is a privately held human sample biobank in the San Diego , California area. The company conducts clinical trials for the collection of human genetic material including proteins and metabolites linked to audited clinical phenotypic information. Samples and data are banked and marketed to the pharmaceutical and biotechnology industries and academic institutions. PrecisionMed has banked appropriately consented collections with controls for genetic and proteomic molecular diagnostic research in neuropsychiatric disorders including schizophrenia, Alzheimer’s disease, major depression and bipolar I disorder, as well as in other diseases including cystic fibrosis and rheumatoid arthritis . Accurate phenotyping is particularly challenging in neuroscience and PrecisionMed has extensive experience in this area. De-identified clinical data are provided electronically. New collections are added on a regular basis, with sample types including DNA, RNA, serum, plasma, urine and cerebrospinal fluid.