WESTBROOK, Maine, July 13, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- IDEXX Laboratories,
Inc. (NASDAQ: IDXX) announced today that a breakthrough kidney
function test, called symmetric dimethylarginine or SDMA, will now
be automatically included in all routine chemistry panels from
IDEXX Reference Laboratories in the U.S. at no additional cost and
with the same rapid turnaround time as routine chemistry
panels.
This groundbreaking new renal biomarker identifies the onset of
kidney disease months or even years earlier than traditional
methods, greatly expanding clinical insights and treatment options
in cats and dogs. The test arrives on the market after several
years of research and clinical studies, culminating in 27
peer-reviewed articles to date and following an extensive pilot
launch involving over 600 veterinary practices in which more than
50,000 SDMA tests were successfully run and used to diagnose
potential kidney disease.
"SDMA is the best thing that's happened in kidney disease
management in decades," said Travis
Pond, DVM, of American Pet Hospital in Las Vegas, Nevada. "The ability to detect
kidney disease early in the disease process is a real game changer
for my patients and their families. This kind of innovation is
really helping to raise the standard of care."
Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is a leading cause of suffering and
death in cats and dogs. It has been generally accepted that 1 in 3
cats1 and 1 in 10 dogs2 will develop some
form of kidney disease over their lifetime; however, recent studies
suggest that CKD is even more common. These studies indicate
that CKD affects 40% of cats less than 15 years of age and up to
80% of cats over 15 years of age. These results indicate that CKD
has been under-recognized previously.3,4
Until today, kidney disease has been routinely diagnosed in part
by measuring blood creatinine. However, creatinine cannot detect
kidney disease until late in the disease process, limiting the
opportunity to extend the life of the pet through treatment
options. Traditionally, a diagnosis is made when 75% of kidney
function has been irreversibly lost. At this point, the prognosis
can be poor.
The SDMA test changes that. In recent clinical studies at
Texas A&M University and
Oregon State University, research
revealed that SDMA identified disease much earlier in disease
progression, when the kidney had suffered far less damage. The
Oregon State University study
demonstrated SDMA detected CKD up to 4 years earlier in at least
one animal. On average, SDMA detected kidney disease when only
40%—and in some cases 25%—of function had been lost.
Additional research identified SDMA as a better indicator of
renal function in animals that have lost muscle mass because of age
or disease. SDMA is not impacted by body mass, whereas creatinine
levels are. Earlier detection allows veterinarians to recommend
potentially effective intervention that could add months or even
years to pet lives.
"SDMA appears to be a major step forward in our diagnostic
approach to chronic kidney disease," said Greg Grauer, DVM, MS, DACVIM, professor and
Jarvis chair of small animal internal medicine, Kansas State University. "The potential role of
SDMA in diagnosing chronic kidney disease, especially early chronic
kidney disease, is a promising new direction in veterinary
nephrology."
Since April 2015, over 600
veterinary practices have received SDMA results from IDEXX
Reference Laboratories when they submitted routine chemistry panels
as part of a pilot launch. To date, more than 50,000 tests have
been run on patients in practice. Participating veterinarians and
the pets in their care have already begun to benefit from the
opportunity SDMA offers for early diagnosis of CKD.
"SDMA is a result of our industry-leading investment in
advancing veterinary medicine and represents a significant
achievement in preventive care diagnostics," said Jonathan W. Ayers, president and chief executive
officer of IDEXX Laboratories. "Customers participating in our
pilot launch have told us that SDMA has already transformed the way
kidney disease is diagnosed and treated, and will help their
patients live longer, happier lives."
The SDMA test will roll out in the Canadian market as part of
the routine chemistry panel later this summer. A roll-out in our
global reference laboratory network will extend into 2016.
For more information about SDMA, visit idexx.com/sdma or call
1-888-433-9987.
About IDEXX Laboratories
IDEXX Laboratories, Inc. is a leader in pet healthcare
innovation, serving practicing veterinarians around the world with
a broad range of diagnostic and information technology-based
products and services. IDEXX products enhance the ability of
veterinarians to provide advanced medical care, improve staff
efficiency and to build more economically successful practices.
IDEXX is also a worldwide leader in providing livestock and poultry
diagnostic tests and tests for the quality and safety of water and
milk. Headquartered in Maine,
IDEXX Laboratories employs more than 6,000 people and offers
products to customers in more than 175 countries.
Contact
Media Relations
IDEXX Laboratories
Elizabeth Hunt
1-207-556-4650
elizabeth-hunt@idexx.com
MSLGROUP
1-781-684-0770
idexx@mslgroup.com
Investor Relations
IDEXX Laboratories
Ed Garber
1-207-556-8155
edward-garber@idexx.com
References
1. Lulich JP, Osborne CA,
O'Brien TD, Polzin DJ. Feline renal failure: questions, answers,
questions. Compend Contin Educ Pract Vet.
1992;14(2):127–153.
2. Brown SA. Renal
dysfunction in small animals. The Merck Veterinary Manual website.
www.merckmanuals.com/vet/urinary_system/noninfectious_diseases_of_the_urinary_system_in_small_animals/renal_dysfunction_in_small_animals.html.
Updated October 2013. Accessed
July 7, 2015.
3. Marino CL, Lascelles BD,
Vaden SL, Gruen ME, Marks SL. The prevalence and classification of
chronic kidney disease in cats randomly selected from four age
groups and in cats recruited for degenerative joint disease
studies. J Feline Med Surg. 2014;16(6):465–472.
4. Data on file at IDEXX
Laboratories, Inc. Westbrook,
Maine USA.
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SOURCE IDEXX Laboratories, Inc.