Coagulation
Diagnostics

Background - Biomarkers

A biomarker is a characteristic that is objectively measured and evaluated as an indicator of normal biologic processes or pharmacologic responses to therapeutic intervention. In other words, a biomarker is a tool which is able to distinguish a normal biologic state from an abnormal state. Such tools permit physicians to identify the presence of disease, to measure the extent of disease and to assess whether the treatment is having a beneficial effect.

Traditionally, radiography has been used to measure arthritis progression, a "historical" record of the gross anatomical changes in the affected joint to show evidence of cartilage loss. However, damage early in disease, before a change can be readily identified by radiography, may go needlessly undetected. The key to improving the detection of arthritis therefore, lies within the molecular process by measuring early biochemical changes in tissues such as cartilage.

There is a real need to apply arthritis molecular biomarkers to RA and OA because of their ability to (i) detect disease, (ii) determine the rate of disease progression and (iii) rapidly ascertain whether a therapeutic intervention is reducing disease progression. Although radiology is routinely used to assess arthritis patients, it cannot always provide timely information (re: drug efficacy) about patient status.

Biomarkers can also be used as discovery tools to identify in animal models and early human studies which drugs are effective