3,000+ Patient Meta-Analysis Reinforces Importance of Platelet Reactivity Testing to Aid in Risk Assessment

Stent Patients with High Platelet Reactivity Had Twice the Rate of Cardiovascular Events

SAN DIEGO - Thursday, October 27th 2011 [ME NewsWire]

(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Accumetrics, Inc., developer of the VerifyNow® System, the first rapid and easy-to-use point-of-care system for measuring platelet reactivity to multiple antiplatelet agents, today announced that results from a patient-level meta-analysis of more than 3,000 stent patients have been published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology1. Patients in the study with high platelet reactivity, as measured by the Accumetrics’ VerifyNow P2Y12 Test, exhibited more than twice the rate of cardiovascular death, heart attack and stent thrombosis over 2 years compared to patients without high platelet reactivity. The VerifyNow P2Y12 Test is used to measure a patient’s platelet reactivity and the antiplatelet effect of medications such as clopidogrel and prasugrel (Plavix® and Effient®).

"The results from this meta-analysis provide further insight into the established relationship between platelet reactivity and clinical outcomes, and give greater clarity to a target for identifying patients at risk,” said Somjot Brar, MD, of Kaiser Permanente in Los Angeles, CA, and lead author of the article. “The additional information provided by platelet reactivity testing, on top of our traditional clinical and procedural risk factors, can allow us to better classify patients that may be at greater risk of recurrent cardiovascular events after a stent procedure.”

2011 marks a banner year for advancing the understanding and progression of the role of platelet reactivity testing in clinical practice. With the inclusion of testing into 3 major guidelines (ACCF/AHA, STS/SCA and ESC) and numerous published reports, including the recent pharmacodynamic analysis of GRAVITAS2, platelet reactivity testing and personalized antiplatelet therapy continue to be in the forefront of cardiovascular medicine.

“The new publications and guideline recommendations have greatly increased clinical demand for the VerifyNow System as physicians move towards a more individualized approach to cardiovascular medicine,” said President and CEO of Accumetrics, Timothy I. Still. “As we progress towards the era of generic Plavix in the US along with a broader array of new and more expensive antiplatelet agents, there is greater need for more information to help physicians determine the most cost-effective treatment strategies and provide the highest quality patient care.”

The VerifyNow P2Y12 Test is the first clinically available, rapid and easy-to-use point-of-care system for measuring the level of P2Y12 receptor blockade. Additionally, it is indicated outside the US for evaluating the risk for recurrent events in cardiovascular patients. The VerifyNow System is used by physicians in over 700 facilities in the United States and over 70 countries worldwide where antiplatelet medications are prescribed to reduce the occurrence of future thrombotic events such as heart attack and stroke.

About Accumetrics

Accumetrics is committed to advancing medical understanding of platelet function and enhancing quality of care for patients receiving antiplatelet therapies by providing industry-leading and widely accessible diagnostic tests for rapid platelet function assessment.

Accumetrics’ VerifyNow System is the first rapid and easy-to-use platform to help physicians determine an individual’s response to multiple antiplatelet agents. Addressing every major antiplatelet drug, including FDA-cleared products for aspirin, P2Y12 inhibitors (e.g. prasugrel (Effient®) and clopidogrel (Plavix®)), and GP IIb/IIIa inhibitors (e.g. ReoPro® and Integrilin®), the VerifyNow System provides valuable information to help physicians make informed treatment decisions. For more information about the Company and its products, visit www.accumetrics.com.

The Accumetrics logo and VerifyNow are registered trademarks of Accumetrics, Inc. ReoPro is a registered trademark of Centocor, Inc. Integrilin is a registered trademark of Millennium Pharmaceuticals. Plavix is a registered trademark of sanofi-aventis. Effient is a registered trademark of Eli Lilly and Company.

1Brar, S et al. J Am Coll Cardiol 2011;58:1945–54

2Price, MJ. et al Circulation. 2011;124:1132-1137

Contacts

Jakob Jakobsen

310-309-1003

jjakobsen@biosector2.com



Timothy I. Still

President and CEO

Accumetrics

858-404-8260

press@accumetrics.com