Did we cover your area of interest?
We have highlighted some our publications that we and our collaborators worked on in the first quarter of 2024—in no particular order. We invite you to browse and read according to your interests!
Fibroblast activation protein (FAP) is almost exclusively expressed in pathological conditions including multiple types of fibrosis and cancers, making it an optimal target for treatment.
Treatment strategies utilizing the unique proteolytic activity of FAP are emerging, thus emphasizing the importance of biomarkers to directly assess FAP activity.
CWe developed a non-invasive quantification tool for FAP-activity, specifically generated through FAP-mediated cleavage (C3F) for selection and monitoring of patients in FAP-related clinical trials.
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Novel treatments for Alzheimer’s Disease are intensely sought; however, there is a dire lack of good biomarkers identifying the population with active disease progression, i.e. those in need of treatment.
We measured our Tau-A and Tau-C assays in a clinical cohort of patients with well-characterized Alzheimer’s Disease, and we observed that Tau-A was related to the CSF-levels of Aβ1-42, while Tau-C levels were indicative of fast progression, and as such identified a population of great interest.
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We explored the involvement of the extracellular matrix (ECM) in various cardiomyopathies and its impact on myocardial stiffness and fibrosis. We also discussed the potential of ECM fragments for early diagnosis, prognosis, and risk stratification.
Cardiomyopathies constitute a diverse group of disorders characterized by fibrosis, ultimately leading to heart failure. Utilizing ECM biomarkers could enhance diagnosis and guide personalized therapies targeting fibrosis.
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We investigated whether a degradation fragment of collagen type III (C3M) correlated with markers of inflammation and endothelial dysfunction and whether C3M was a risk marker for progression of chronic kidney disease (CKD)in persons with type 2 diabetes and microalbuminuria.
Higher serum C3M is a risk marker for CKD progression and correlates with markers of inflammation in persons with type 2 diabetes. Moreover, a doubling of serum C3M was associated with CKD progression (with mortality as competing risk) after adjustment for conventional risk factors.
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In our first rheumatology publication, we investigated M6495, a new drug targeting ADAMTS-5, in healthy volunteers and osteoarthritis patients.
M6495 was safe and well-tolerated at doses up to 300mg. It significantly reduced a key biomarker of cartilage breakdown, suggesting potential to slow disease progression.
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In the second study explored a new biomarker for response to Tocilizumab, a treatment for rheumatoid arthritis. Measuring type VI collagen degradation (C6M) identified patients who benefited more from the drug.
This approach has potential to personalize treatment and improve outcomes for RA patients.
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In our third rheumatology publication, highlighted the need for better ways to classify osteoarthritis (OA). Current treatments only manage symptoms, and a deeper understanding of the disease is crucial.
We propose using a panel of biochemical markers to define different OA subtypes (endotypes).
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