Vascular BioSciences Announces Lung Transplant Rejection Detection with the Endoarterial Biopsy Catheter in an Animal Model

(PRWEB) April 17, 2003

San Diego, Calif. - Vascular BioSciences (http://www.vascularbiosciences.com) announces the publication of a new method to detect lung transplant rejection using the company’s endoarterial biopsy catheter in the current issue of Transplantation, the official journal of the transplantation society.

The paper, "Increased Expression of Endoarterial Vascular Cell Adhesion Molecule-1 mRNA in an Experimental Model of Lung Transplant Rejection: Diagnosis By Pulmonary Arterial Biopsy" in Transplantation 2003; 75(7):960-965, was the result of a collaboration between Vascular BioSciences and physicians at the University of California, San Diego.

The paper describes how the endoarterial biopsy catheter safely and effectively obtained endoarterial biopsy samples from branch pulmonary arteries in an animal model of lung transplant rejection. VCAM-1 mRNA levels in pulmonary vascular tissue samples obtained with the endoarterial biopsy catheter increased with increasing levels of lung transplant rejection. According to the study, in patients who undergo lung transplantation, the endoarterial biopsy method may be useful in the diagnosis of rejection and infection. Endoarterial biopsies may also aid in detecting early vascular changes associated with bronchiolitis obliterans (chronic lung transplant rejection).

Abraham Rothman, M.D., Co-director of Cardiology at Children’s Hospital San Diego, Professor of Pediatrics at University of California, San Diego, and lead author of the paper stated, "Although the endoarterial biopsy procedure was safe and effective in animals, the procedure has not yet been evaluated in humans. However, extensive experimental experience suggests that the procedure should have similar results in human patients."

About Vascular BioSciences

Vascular BioSciences, a privately held medical device company based in San Diego, California, has developed the endoarterial biopsy catheter to percutaneously obtain biopsy samples from the inner layer of blood vessels. Endoarterial biopsies will better enable the study, diagnosis, monitoring, and treatment of vascular-based diseases. Vascular BioSciences focuses on improving diagnosis and medical management of primary and secondary pulmonary hypertension, acute and chronic lung transplant rejection, vasculitis, pulmonary manifestations of collagen vascular diseases such as lupus and scleroderma, and primary and secondary lung cancer.

Vascular BioSciences is dedicated to developing innovative technologies to detect and treat vascular-based diseases in order to enhance and prolong human life.