WALTHAM, Mass., March 20, 2014 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- BG Medicine, Inc. (Nasdaq:BGMD) today announced that on March 18, 2014, the United States Patent and Trademark Office issued patent 8,672,857, titled "Galectin-3 and Cardiac Resynchronization Therapy," to the Company. The patent claims methods for predicting responsiveness to cardiac resynchronization therapy by the measurement of the concentration of the protein galectin-3 in blood.
Cardiac resynchronization therapy, also referred to as biventricular pacing, involves the implantation of a specialized pacemaker device to attempt to improve the heart's rhythm and alleviate symptoms associated with arrhythmia in heart failure.
"The issuance of this patent both strengthens and broadens BG Medicine's patent portfolio covering galectin-3 testing," said Dr. Paul R. Sohmer, President and CEO of BG Medicine, Inc. "We will continue to aggressively pursue the protection of our intellectual property related to galectin-3."
The BGM Galectin-3® Test is cleared by the U.S. FDA as an aid in assessing the prognosis of patients diagnosed with chronic heart failure when used in conjunction with clinical evaluation.
The BGM Galectin-3® Test is CE Marked and is available in Europe as an aid in assessing the prognosis of patients diagnosed with acute and chronic heart failure when used in conjunction with clinical evaluation. It is also CE Marked for adults as an aid in assessing the risk of new onset heart failure.
About Galectin-3 and Heart Failure
Galectin-3 is a protein that is involved in fundamental disease processes including the development of fibrosis in organ tissues, and cardiac remodeling, which may lead to the development and progression of heart failure. Higher levels of galectin-3 are associated with a more aggressive form of heart failure, which may make identification of high-risk patients using galectin-3 testing an important part of patient care. Galectin-3 testing may be useful in helping physicians determine which patients are at higher risk of hospitalization or death. The BGM Galectin-3® Test is to be used as an aid in assessing the prognosis of patients with chronic heart failure, in conjunction with clinical evaluation. For more information please visit www.BG-Medicine.com.
About BG Medicine, Inc.
BG Medicine, Inc. (Nasdaq:BGMD), the developer of the BGM Galectin-3® Test, is focused on the development and delivery of diagnostic solutions to aid in the clinical management of heart failure and related disorders. For additional information about BG Medicine, heart failure and galectin-3 testing, please visit www.BG-Medicine.com.
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Forward Looking Statements
This press release contains "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, including, but not limited to, statements regarding: our belief that the issuance of this new patent strengthens and broadens our patent portfolio for galectin-3 testing and our plan to aggressively pursue the protection of our intellectual property related to galectin-3. These forward-looking statements are neither promises nor guarantees of future performance, and are subject to a variety of risks and uncertainties, many of which are beyond the Company's control, which could cause actual results to differ materially from those contemplated in these forward-looking statements. These risks and uncertainties include, among other things, the factors discussed under the heading "Risk Factors" contained in BG Medicine's annual report and quarterly reports filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission. All information in this press release is as of the date of the release, and BG Medicine disclaims any obligation to update the information contained in this press release as new information becomes available.
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