PreMD tests 5,000 subjects in study of cholesterol and cardiovascular disease

By Lisa Kerner

Erie, Pa., April 11 - PreMD Inc. said it has tested 5,000 subjects with Prevu(x) LT Skin Sterol Test, a non-invasive test for cardiovascular disease, as part of the Prepare (Prevu(x) Predicts Atherosclerosis Risk and Events) study being conducted with the participation of selected U.S. life insurers.

Prevu(x) measures the amount of cholesterol (sterol) that has accumulated in the skin tissues, as opposed to blood, without the need for fasting or other patient preparation, according to a company news release.

The test painlessly collects skin cells from the palm of the hand in seconds using an adhesive strip. A laboratory then determines the skin sterol in the sample.

PreMD said high levels of skin sterol are correlated with higher incidence of coronary artery disease.

"Prepare is intended to evaluate the utility of Prevu(x) LT in the life insurance industry," president and chief executive officer Dr. Brent Norton said in a news release.

"The data from these 5,000 subjects may enable us to make a regulatory submission for Prevu(x) LT in the United States, Canada and Europe in 2006, which will help to create additional revenue opportunities and position us to receive a milestone payment."

Data from the study will determine the relationship between Prevu(x) LT and Framingham Global Risk Score, a traditional method for evaluating the risk of coronary artery disease.

PreMD Inc. is a Toronto-based predictive medicine company that develops rapid, non-invasive tests for the early detection of life-threatening diseases.

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