Abstract
A Multi-Biomarker Blood Test for Assessing Disease Activity in Patients with Rheumatoid Arthritis
The Vectra DA blood test measures serum concentrations of 12 protein biomarkers relevant to the pathophysiology of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) to produce a score, on a scale of 1 to 100 that represents the level of RA disease activity. This presentation will summarize: 1) the development and validation of Vectra DA, 2) the basis for its clinical utility, and 3) how Vectra DA can be helpful to clinical trials of pharmaceutical agents.
Eric Sasso, MD – Vice President, Medical and Scientific Affairs for Crescendo Bioscience
Dr. Sasso joined Crescendo Bioscience in September 2012. He came to Crescendo from Abbott Laboratories where, as Medical Director, he worked in Early Immunology clinical development and in Humira Medical Affairs, both in Rheumatology and as head of the Dermatology team. Prior to joining Abbott in 2004, he was Associate Professor at the University of Washington, Seattle, where he has remained an Adjunct Associate Professor since 2004. Dr. Sasso earned an A.B. Biochemistry degree at Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, and an M.D. degree from the University of California, San Diego. He trained in internal medicine at McGill University, Montreal, and did fellowships in rheumatology at the University of Washington, and in immunology research at the Virginia Mason Research Center, Seattle. He is board certified in Internal Medicine and Rheumatology and has published extensively in the fields of rheumatology, immunology and dermatology.
- The Vectra DA blood test measures 12 biomarkers to assess RA disease activity.
- The Vectra DA score correlates with composite clinical measures.
- Vectra DA assesses disease activity differently than C-reactive protein and is associated with risk for future joint damage.
- Vectra DA offers pharmaceutical studies a way to: optimize patient screening for trial enrollment; track disease activity without placebo effect; and objectively measure early response to therapy.
Vectra DA is validated for use in adults diagnosed with RA. Test results are intended to aid in the assessment of disease activity in RA patients when used in conjunction with standard clinical assessment. This test is not intended or validated to diagnose RA.
Investigators interested in incorporating biomarkers into strategies of early drug development.
