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Douglas Harrington, MD Addresses
Select Group of Physicans Regarding Latest Advances in Cardiovascular
Risk Assessment
MARCH 19, 2013 (San Francisco, CA) – Aviir Inc., a biotechnology company
dedicated to enhanced detection and prevention of cardiovascular disease
through innovative diagnostic tests, announced that Douglas Harrington,
MD, Clinical Professor of Pathology at USC and Aviir, Inc. CEO,
addressed a select group of physicians and leading cardiologists on the
Latest Advances in Cardiovascular Risk Assessment at a special
invitation-only reception in San Francisco. The event took place March
10, during the American College of Cardiology (ACC) 2013 Annual
Conference and included guest speakers Thomas Quertermous, PhD,
Professor of Cardiovascular Medicine from the Stanford University School
of Medicine, and Americo Simonini, MD, Cardiologist at Cedars-Sinai
Medical Center.
"Our goal is to present and discuss the best cardiac risk assessment
methods available. Presenting next generation tests like MIRISK VPTM
with fellow physicians in an intimate forum enabled a free exchange and
the chance to discuss advances in the field of preventative cardiology,"
said Dr. Harrington.
Many physicians at the event elected to take the MIRISK VP test on-site,
which was offered by GUARDaHEART, a national non-profit dedicated to
heart disease awareness and prevention.
MIRISK VP stratifies the intermediate risk group, which has proven to be
a critical part of risk assessment, as most adverse cardiac events
happen to intermediate risk individuals. In fact, MIRISK VP was shown in
a peer-reviewed publication to significantly improve cardiac risk
assessment by reclassifying intermediate risk individuals to either high
or low risk groups, resulting in a net reclassification index of 43%
compared to the standard Framingham method.
"As a cardiologist, I am excited about the prospect of this test. I
understand its value to my patients and practice and I was happy to
speak to my colleagues about its usefulness in the clinic," stated Dr.
Simonini.
Aviir CEO Douglas Harrington, MD, said Aviir anticipates that the MIRISK
VP test will become an important and widely used tool for physicians who
want to provide their patients with a clearer picture of their
individual heart health by providing critical information to high risk
patients who may be incorrectly identified as intermediate risk by
standard diagnostic methods.
About the MIRISK VPTM Assessment
The Aviir MIRISK VP test was developed out of research performed at the
Stanford University School of Medicine. Researchers identified seven key
proteins associated with the biological processes underlying formation
and rupture of vulnerable plaque, which is the number one cause of a
heart attack. MIRISK VP was shown to effectively measure these proteins
in a patient’s blood up to 5 years prior to an ensuing heart attack or
unstable angina. Aviir’s scientists developed sensitive multiplexed
assays as well as a proprietary algorithm to detect those key proteins
in an individual’s blood and combines them with additional clinical risk
factors to generate a more accurate 5-year risk score assessment for
coronary heart disease (CHD). In an independent study, the MIRISK VP
algorithm was shown to reclassify intermediate risk individuals as
actually belonging either in a high or low risk group, significantly
improving risk stratification (net reclassification index of 43%). By
identifying patients who are actually at high risk, MIRISK VP assists
physicians in developing effective treatment plans and implementing
preventative measures to reduce the risk of a heart attack when they can
be most beneficial. When used in conjunction with additional clinical
information, MIRISK VP’s easy to understand risk score for a 5-year
horizon may motivate improved patient compliance with therapeutic
lifestyle changes.
About Aviir
Aviir was founded in 2005 by cardiologists and scientists from the
Stanford University School of Medicine to focus on discovery,
development and commercialization of innovative diagnostic tests. The
company specializes in developing proprietary diagnostic tests that
assist in identifying patients who are most at risk of a cardiac event,
but who may be unaware of their true risk status. Aviir’s proprietary
MIRISK and MIRISK VP assessment tests objectively identify, by a simple
blood draw, individuals who are at a high risk of a cardiac event over
the next five years. Aviir’s CLIA-certified laboratory (Irvine, CA)
complements these novel tests with a wide range of additional testing
options for risk assessment and therapeutic monitoring of cardiovascular
disease and related metabolic disorders – including pharmacogenomic and
genetic tests. The company has adopted a unique clinical laboratory
service model to provide physicians better diagnostic tools that improve
the cardiovascular health of their patients. The company is privately
owned and funded by leading life science venture capital firms.
About GUARDaHEART
GUARDaHEART promotes awareness through education and risk detection
tools, and empowers preventative action through activities that build
friendships, cultivate healthy habits, and create accountability.
GUARDaHEART believes that in partnership with physicians and patients,
it is possible to reduce the risk of Heart Disease within communities.
For media inquiries, please contact
Matt Clawson
Life Capital Partners LLC 949.370.8500 |