SDMA detects kidney disease months or years earlier in cats
and dogs
WESTBROOK, Maine, Aug. 4, 2015 /CNW/ -- 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 Canada 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 the U.S. and
Canada in which more than 50,000
SDMA tests were successfully run and used to diagnose potential
kidney disease.
"IRIS recognizes that SDMA is a new biomarker for renal
dysfunction that can allow for earlier detection of chronic kidney
disease," said Astrid M. van Dongen,
DVM, DipRNVA (Internal Medicine), president of the IRIS board and
associate professor of internal medicine/nephrology, faculty of
veterinary medicine, Utrecht
University. "SDMA has the potential to expand diagnostic insight
and therapeutic opportunities for veterinarians caring for pets
with this critical disease."
IRIS is the International Renal Interest Society, a board of 15
world-renowned independent veterinarians with particular expertise
in nephrology, from ten different countries.
SDMA was launched in the U.S. in early July, and since that
time, over 9,000 clinics have submitted more than 200,000 specimens
to IDEXX Reference Laboratories for SDMA testing. Chronic kidney
disease (CKD) is a leading cause of suffering and death in cats and
dogs. The results from the submitted specimens are consistent with
generally accepted kidney disease prevalence data showing that 1 in
3 cats1 and 1 in 10 dogs2 tested demonstrate
some form of kidney disease over their lifetime. Veterinary
practitioners are already realizing tremendous benefits from the
SDMA test.
"In general practice we deal with kidney disease on a
daily basis," said Matthew Kornya,
DVM, of The Cat Clinic in Hamilton,
Ontario. "SDMA gives us an exciting
and much-needed new tool to aid in the diagnosis and
monitoring of chronic renal disease. Including SDMA on all our
panels has not only allowed our clinic to detect renal disease
earlier; it lets us readily determine the role of renal dysfunction
in muscle-wasted animals."
Until now, kidney disease has been routinely diagnosed in part
by measuring blood creatinine. However, creatinine is limited in
that it cannot detect kidney disease until late in the disease
process, and it is known to have poor sensitivity in pets with low
muscle mass. Traditionally, a diagnosis is made when 75% of kidney
function has been irreversibly lost. At this point, the prognosis
is usually very poor. In recent clinical studies at Texas A&M University and Oregon State University, research revealed that
SDMA identified disease much earlier in the disease progression,
when the kidneys had suffered far less damage. The Oregon State University study demonstrated SDMA
detected CKD up to four 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.
With over 200,000 clinical data points, it is clear that SDMA
identifies significantly more pets with kidney disease than
creatinine can. In these patients, earlier detection allows
veterinarians to investigate for underlying causes, treat those
causes, manage the patient according to the appropriate
International Renal Interest Society (IRIS) stage, and customize an
appropriate monitoring plan, all with the goal of slowing the
progression of CKD.
"SDMA adds another dimension to the investigation of kidney
disease," said Bronwyn Rutland, BSc
(VB), BVMS (Hons), DACVIM, of the Internal Medicine Service at
the 404 Veterinary Emergency and Referral Hospital in
Newmarket, Ontario. "Having a
single blood test that correlates closely to GFR is a significant
advancement in the identification and management of pets with
chronic renal disease, especially those with early chronic renal
disease."
"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 using SDMA as part of
their routine chemistry panels have told us it has already
transformed the way kidney disease is diagnosed and treated, and
will help their patients live longer, happier lives."
The SDMA test was launched in the U.S. market as part of the
routine chemistry panel on July 13. A
roll-out in our global reference laboratory network will extend
into 2016.
For more information about SDMA,
visit idexx.ca/sdma or call 1-800-667-3411.
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
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
- 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.
- 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 29, 2015.
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SOURCE IDEXX Laboratories, Inc.