Banyan Biomarkers Announces Issuance of US Patent Relating to Brain Injury Biomarkers.ALACHUA, Fla. -- Banyan Biomarkers, Inc. announced today that the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office has granted U.S. Patent No. 7,291,710 "Detection of spectrin spectrin /spec·trin/ (spek´trin) a contractile protein attached to glycophorin at the cytoplasmic surface of the cell membrane of erythrocytes, important in maintaining cell shape. spec·trin n. and spectrin proteolytic pro·te·o·lyt·ic adj. Relating to, characterized by, or promoting proteolysis. proteolytic (pro″teolit´ik), adj cleavage products in assessing nerve cell damage", licensed exclusively by Banyan Biomarkers from the University of Florida University of Florida is the third-largest university in the United States, with 50,912 students (as of Fall 2006) and has the eighth-largest budget (nearly $1.9 billion per year). UF is home to 16 colleges and more than 150 research centers and institutes. . The detection of spectrin and spectrin breakdown products in patients' blood will allow physicians to determine the magnitude of injury and the progression of neuronal cell death after injury, thus aiding in the diagnosis of brain injuries. Banyan and the University of Florida have filed additional patent applications claiming the use of other protein biomarkers as aids in the detection and evaluation of traumatic brain injury Traumatic brain injury (TBI), traumatic injuries to the brain, also called intracranial injury, or simply head injury, occurs when a sudden trauma causes brain damage. TBI can result from a closed head injury or a penetrating head injury and is one of two subsets of acquired brain . "Securing this patent is a significant achievement for Banyan Biomarkers and confirms the value and importance of our biomarker discovery and product development strategy. Banyan will continue to strengthen its intellectual property base as we carve out our place in the in vitro diagnostics In vitro diagnostic (IVD) tests are medical tests conducted in a test tube, or more generally in a controlled environment outside a living organism. In vitro means in glass in Latin. medical field," commented Gary Ascani, Chief Executive Officer of Banyan Biomarkers, Inc. Approximately 1.9 million brain injuries are sustained annually. In a comparison provided by the Brain Injury Association of America, more traumatic brain injuries occur annually than the combined incidences of multiple sclerosis, spinal cord injuries, HIV/AIDS HIV/AIDS Human Immunodeficiency Virus/Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome and breast cancer. Banyan Biomarkers is the leader in developing in vitro diagnostic products to address unmet clinical needs for the detection of traumatic brain injury. The company is focused on developing a simple point-of-care blood test that will be used by physicians to detect the presence and severity of brain trauma and improve the medical management of head injured patients. To learn more about Banyan Biomarkers, Inc., visit www.banyanbio.com |
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