Adlyfe Study on the Detection of Misfolded Proteins Published in the Journal Transfusion



Misfolded Protein Diagnostic (MPD) Shown to be Sensitive and Specific
Technology Applicable for the Detection of a Host of Amyloid Neurological
Diseases including Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease (CJD), Alzheimer's, and
Parkinson Disease

ROCKVILLE, Md., Aug. 29 /PRNewswire/ -- Adlyfe, a private company
developing novel diagnostic testing technologies for early targets of
amyloid diseases, announced today the publication of a study, "Detection of
misfolded prion protein in blood with conformationally sensitive peptides,"
in the August 2007 issue of the journal Transfusion. The monthly
publication is the official peer-reviewed journal of the AABB, formerly
known as the American Association of Blood Banks.
The published study examined the ability of Adlyfe's Misfolded Protein
Diagnostic (MPD) to detect the presence of misfolded proteins in brain,
serum and plasma. Study results demonstrated that Adlyfe's MPD assay is a
sensitive and specific test for the detection misfolded prion proteins that
may be useful in both preclinical and clinical diagnosis transmissible
spongiform encephalopathy (TSE) diseases in both animals and humans.
Scientists have tried to develop a preclinical diagnostic test for TSE
since the discovery that humans with variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease can
transmit disease via blood transfusions, though there are several
challenges to detecting misfolded proteins in the blood. The coexistence of
a large amount of the protein in its normally folded shape and the fact
that misfolded proteins do not trigger an immune system response that would
enable diagnosis based on the detection of antibodies. In addition, most
standard detection methods are not sensitive enough to detect the low level
of misfolded proteins in the blood, especially during early disease stages.
These challenges have largely restricted diagnostic tests for amyloid
diseases to the use of postmortem tissue.
Adlyfe's novel technology is based on the synthesis of conformationally
sensitive peptides (chains of amino acids that are smaller than proteins)
which are created to target specific protein shapes associated with various
diseases. The interaction of the target protein with Adlyfe's proprietary
peptides produces a conformational change that transduces a fluorescent
signal. Further amplification of the signal is generated as additional
ligands undergo conformational changes. This is the basis for the tests'
sensitivity and ability to detect very low amyloid protein levels before
symptoms occur.
"The publication of this study validates the utility and sensitivity of
our MPD assay in detecting misfolded proteins in TSE, even at low levels,"
said Chief Executive Officer Alan S. Rudolph, Ph.D. "We believe our test
meets the dual diagnostic demands of confirmatory testing in symptomatic
subjects suspected of having the disease and as a screening test to
identify infection in its earliest phases. Our unique diagnostic approach
and technology is applicable to a number of neurological diseases
associated with protein buildup in tissues such as Creutzfeldt-Jakob
disease (CJD), Alzheimer's, and Parkinson Disease."
About Adlyfe
Adlyfe Inc. was established early in 2003 to develop novel technologies
for blood testing for early targets of amyloid diseases. Adlyfe is
developing a novel test for the detection and amplification of amyloid
proteins as early biomarkers of fatal brain and amyloid diseases such as
Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, Creutzfeldt-Jacob disease,
Huntington's disease, systemic amyloidosis, diabetes and other diseases.
The Company's novel technology is based on the synthesis of small
peptide, or Pronucleon(TM) ligands, that are amino acid sequence matched to
target amyloids of interest. Ligand sequences are selected based on regions
of the target protein known to undergo conformational changes (structural
changes in shape) associated with amyloid aggregation (and eventual amyloid
plaque formation). These aggregates are associated with disease state
progression in a number of brain-wasting and amyloid diseases.
Adlyfe, a privately-held corporation, was initially funded by the
Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA), the U.S. Army Medical
Research and Materiel Command, the National Heart, Lung and Blood
Institute, and Britain's Department for Environment, Food and Rural
Affairs. More recently, Adlyfe raised additional funding with venture
capital firms Canaan Venture Partners and Burrill Associates.
Internet Website: http://www.adlyfe.com

For More Information
Media:
Janine McCargo
1-646-536-7033
jmccargo@theruthgroup.com