Personalized Medicine Getting Closer: the LPL DNA Chip

Amsterdam Molecular Therapeutics is developing one of the first commercial genetic therapies, Glybera, for patients with lipoprotein lipase deficiency (LPLD). Glybera has been submitted to the European Medicines Agency and a decision on the approval is expected mid-2011. However, before therapy comes diagnosis. In collaboration with AMT, Progenika Biopharma has developed the LPLchip which detects mutations in the LPL gene, and has now received CE approval. The chip can detect 120 different mutations in a sample of blood or saliva, enabling identification of patients who may benefit from gene therapy. So far, the picture for Glybera is looking good, with three studies showing a decrease in the incidence of pancreatitis, one of the most important complications of LPLD, in patients undergoing treatment. Expect to hear more about this in the future.
Press release: Progenika Receives CE Mark for First DNA Chip to Detect Mutations in Lipoprotein Lipase (LPL) Gene…
Product page: LPLchip…