Qiagen launches Olerup SSP AB's new test for detecting adverse reactions to HIV-medicine in the EU

Qiagen launches Olerup SSP AB's new test for detecting adverse reactions to

HIV-medicine in the EU

LinkMed's wholly owned subsidiary Olerup SSP AB has developed a new test that

detects genetic variations in the Human Leucocyte Antigen (HLA) system that

indicate risk for severe adverse reactions to Abacavir in HIV patients. The test

is marketed and sold by Qiagen. Experts expect more tests for similar markers in

HIV patients carrying the HLA-B*5701 marker have a 60 percent higher risk to

develop hypersensitivity reaction (HSR) to Abacavir, a component of several

widely marketed HIV-drugs. HSR is a serious and sometimes fatal multi-organ

In July, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) advised healthcare

professionals that all HIV patients should be screened for this genetic

variation before initiating treatment with drugs containing Abacavir.

Institutions in other countries such as Germany issued similar warnings. These

advisories were issued as a response to results from a new study published in

the New England Journal of Medicine earlier this year. The study, carried out on

956 patients from 19 countries, found that HLA-B*5701 is a major biomarker for

”The screening for HLA-B*5701 prior to Abacavir treatment allows the

identification of patients likely to develop HSR,” says Magnus

Ingelman-Sundberg, Professor and Head of the Section of Pharmacogenetics at the

Karolinska Institute in Stockholm and responsible for the commentary on the

study in the New England Journal of Medicine. ”The combination of diagnostics

and therapeutics is a key approach to eliminating risks of side effects and

therefore increasing the efficacy of the drugs.”

Dr Ingelman-Sundberg expects more tests for pharmacogenetic markers to be

introduced in the near future, including tests for HLA alleles, which are

believed to play an important role in patients' responses to a number of drugs.

The new test is CE marked in Europe for in vitro diagnostic use and available

for research use in other countries.

Please visit www.qiagen.com for a more comprehensive press release.

Olerup SSP AB is world leading in the development of reagents and kits for

genomic HLA typing, which is a required step performed prior to a

transplantation operation in order to match the donor and recipient. HLA typing

is primarily carried out before bone marrow transplantations (hematopoietic stem

cell transplantation) but is also carried out in conjunction with solid organ

transplantations (kidneys, lungs, hearts, etc). The better the match between

donor and recipient, the lower the risk of transplantation-related

complications. Genomic HLA typing is therefore a standard procedure prior to

bone marrow transplantations. Olerup SSP AB was acquired by LinkMed AB in July

For more information:

Ingemar Lagerl f, CEO LinkMed, tel: +46 8 508 939 93

Also visit www.linkmed.se

LinkMed, in collaboration with innovators, develops life science companies. By

contributing entrepreneurship and capital, LinkMed has created a portfolio of

twelve companies, seven in biotechnology and five in medical technology. The

company's principal owners are FastPartner, Koncentra Holding, and the founder

Ingemar Lagerl f. The LinkMed share is listed on the OMX Nordic Exchange

Stockholm in the small-cap sector (ticker:LMED).