WALTHAM, Mass., Nov. 17, 2011 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- BG Medicine, Inc. (Nasdaq:BGMD), a company focused on the development and commercialization of novel biomarker-based diagnostics, announced today that results from a study on the role of galectin-3 in patients with end-stage renal disease (ESRD) were presented at the American Heart Association's Scientific Sessions 2011 (AHA) meeting in Orlando, Florida on November 16, 2011. Results from this study suggest that galectin-3 may be an independent predictor of adverse outcomes in patients with ESRD, due to the association of galectin-3 with all-cause and infectious mortality, stroke and other cardiovascular events. The data were featured in a presentation entitled, "Galectin-3 and Outcomes in Patients with End-Stage Renal Disease: Data from the German Diabetes and Dialysis Study," presented by Rudolf de Boer, MD, PhD, Associate Professor of Cardiology at the University of Groningen, the Netherlands. In the study, patients' galectin-3 levels were measured using the BGM Galectin-3TM test.
The study included 1,168 patients with diabetes undergoing dialysis who participated in the German Diabetes and Dialysis Study. Galectin-3 was measured in baseline blood samples, with a median follow up period of 4 years, during which 617 patients (49%) died. Regression analysis was used to assess the association of galectin-3 with the development of all-cause mortality, sudden cardiac death, death due to heart failure, death due to infection, cardiovascular events, myocardial infarction and stroke.
"Galectin-3 is recognized as a mediator of fibrosis in both cardiac and renal injury models," said Dr. de Boer. "This study provides additional information supporting our understanding that elevated galectin-3 levels are associated with an increased risk for adverse outcomes generally and, particularly, in patients undergoing dialysis."
"Heart failure is commonly complicated by declining kidney function with kidney disease markedly contributing to the morbidity and mortality of heart failure patients," said Pieter Muntendam, MD, President and CEO of BG Medicine. "Although the cardio-renal axis has long been recognized, it is poorly understood, and understanding the role of galectin-3 in the cardio-renal axis may provide new insights in the pathophysiology with the ultimate goal to develop novel treatments that reduce the incidence of kidney disease in patients with heart failure."
Authors of the study are Rudolf A. de Boer, MD, PhD of the University of Groningen, Groningen, the Netherlands; and Christoph Wanner, MD, Katja Blouin, MSc, Christian Drechsler, MD, of the University of Wurzburg, Wurzburg, Germany. The full presentation, "Galectin-3 and Outcomes in Patients with End-Stage Renal Disease: Data from the German Diabetes and Dialysis Study" is available: http://www.galectin-3.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/aha-slides-1.pdf.
About BG Medicine, Inc.
BG Medicine, Inc. (Nasdaq:BGMD) is a life sciences company focused on the discovery, development, and commercialization of novel, biomarker-based diagnostics to improve patient outcomes and contain healthcare costs. The Company recently launched the BGM Galectin-3TM test for use in patients with heart failure, the first novel blood test for cardiac disease cleared by the U.S. F.D.A. in five years. BG Medicine also has products in development to aid in the diagnosis and management of acute atherothrombosis and lipid disorders. For additional information about BG Medicine, heart failure and galectin-3 testing, please visit www.bg-medicine.com and www.galectin-3.com.
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Special Note Regarding Forward-looking Statements
Certain statements made in this news release contain forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities and Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, that are intended to be covered by the "safe harbor" created by those sections. Forward-looking statements, which are based on certain assumptions and describe our future plans, strategies and expectations, can generally be identified by the use of forward-looking terms such as "believe," "expect," "may," "will," "should," "could," "seek," "intend," "plan," "estimate," "anticipate" or other comparable terms. Forward-looking statements in this news release address our expectations concerning the role that galectin-3 plays in kidney disease, cardiovascular disease and mortality, our beliefs regarding the importance of galectin-3 testing to predict outcomes in patients with end-stage renal disease, our beliefs regarding the importance of the galectin-3 data presented at the AHA, and our expectations regarding the impact of the galectin-3 data on the sales and marketing of our galectin-3 diagnostic tests. Forward-looking statements are based on management's current expectations and involve inherent risks and uncertainties which could cause actual results to differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements, as a result of various factors including those risks and uncertainties described in the Risk Factors and in Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations sections of our recent filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including our most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K and Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q. We urge you to consider those risks and uncertainties in evaluating our forward-looking statements. We caution readers not to place undue reliance upon any such forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date made. Except as otherwise required by the federal securities laws, we disclaim any obligation or undertaking to publicly release any updates or revisions to any forward-looking statement contained herein (or elsewhere) to reflect any change in our expectations with regard thereto or any change in events, conditions or circumstances on which any such statement is based.