Metabolon has signed several research collaboration and licensing agreements with Patia Biopharma related to use of Metabolon’s Quantose IR technology, a blood test for prediabetes that reflects insulin resistance, in several diabetes prevention studies in Mexico.
The license agreement provides exclusive access in Mexico to Quantose IR technology for assessing insulin resistance in the general population of Mexico through Patia and Clinica Ruiz’s network of laboratories.
Pursuant to the terms of exclusive multi-year, royalty-based license agreements, Patia and its affiliates will use the Quantose IR technology in unprecedented large-scale studies in Mexico to test for prediabetes in up to three million overweight or obese adults and secondary school students who are obese and/or have a family history of diabetes.
These large-scale studies are aimed at detecting prediabetes early and prescribe treatment to prevent progression to type 2 diabetes. Testing will be executed over four years, beginning with pilot studies in 2014.
All testing will be conducted at the laboratories of Clinica Ruiz using its mass spectrometry analysis technology and a laboratory developed test derived from the Quantose IR technology.
Metabolon president and CEO Dr John Ryals noted the licensing of Quantose IR technology to Patia is a key milestone in our expansion in obesity-related diagnostics outside of the US.
"We are delighted to be partnering in this visionary program with Patia in Mexico, with the goal of impacting healthcare policy in Mexico and throughout Latin America. These two trials are the largest of this type ever conducted, and we look forward to having the results made public and published in peer-reviewed medical journals.
"What’s more, commercialization of our test for prediabetes in the general populations in Mexico through Patia and Clinica Ruiz could lead to positive outcomes as it relates to prevention of the progression to type 2 diabetes through appropriate therapies," Dr Ryals added.
The Quantose IR blood test is based on three recently identified non-glycemic biomarkers and insulin. The test uses a multi-analyte assay, which requires only a single fasting blood sample. It provides clinicians with a useful tool that may identify prediabetes earlier than traditional glycemic measures.