deCODE Discovers Genetic Variants Influencing Bone Mineral Density
Published In: Business, Iceland 
Tuesday, April 29, 2008 2:34 PM
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REYKJAVIK, Iceland, April 29 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- In a paper
published today in the New England Journal of Medicine, a team of scientists
from deCODE genetics (Nasdaq: DCGN) and academic colleagues from Iceland,
Denmark and Australia report the discovery of five single letter variants
(SNPs) at five different sites in the human genome that impact bone mineral
density (BMD) and predispose to fracturing of bones. BMD is a principal
measure of the presence and severity of osteoporosis, a common, progressive
and often debilitating condition in which bones become thinner and more prone
to fracture, even from minor falls or blows. As an accompanying editorial in
the NEJM points out, although BMD has long been known to have a significant
inherited component, these are the first validated and replicated genetic
variants ever linked to BMD through a genome-wide scan of SNPs. The paper is
available online at www.nejm.org, and will appear in an upcoming print edition
of the journal.

The findings demonstrate that the genetic component of BMD appears to
involve many genetic variants each conferring relatively modest increases in
risk, but that such variants can be found using studies of sufficient size and
power. In this study, the deCODE team analyzed more than 300,000 SNPs across
the genomes of some 10,000 Icelandic participants, mainly women, and
replicated its findings in cohorts of approximately 4000 Danish and
Australian, again mainly female, participants. The SNPs associated with BMD
are located on chromosomes 1p36, 6q25, 6p21, 8q24, and 13q24. Three of these
loci are located near genes known to be involved in bone mineral density, and
one, 13q14, is close to a gene known as RANKL which is already being used as
target for drug development by a major pharmaceutical company. Although these
variants confer an increase in risk that is in the range of 5-15% compared to
non-carriers of the variants, they are all quite common and so may account for
a sizable proportion of the inherited component of low BMD.

"These findings show yet again the power of large-scale studies for adding
to our understanding of complex conditions. These variants alone do not confer
individual risk sufficient for making a diagnostic test with clinical value,
though we are only getting started in this search, and these variants will be
the third recent update to the profiles of subscribers to our deCODEme(TM)
service. In practical terms, these discoveries provide new insight into
certain biological pathways known to be involved in BMD and osteoporosis --
such as that on chromosome 13 -- and alerting us to new pathways that should
be investigated. This information can inform future drug discovery, or indeed
help to target therapies now in development to those individuals who may
benefit from medicines aimed at particular pathways," said Kari Stefansson,
CEO of deCODE.


About deCODE

deCODE is a biopharmaceutical company applying its discoveries in human
genetics to the development of diagnostics and drugs for common diseases.
deCODE is a global leader in gene discovery -- our population approach and
resources have enabled us to isolate key genes contributing to major public
health challenges from cardiovascular disease to cancer, genes that are
providing us with drug targets rooted in the basic biology of disease. Through
its CLIA-registered laboratory, deCODE is offering a growing range of
DNA-based tests for gauging risk and empowering prevention of common diseases,
including deCODE T2(TM) for type 2 diabetes; deCODE AF(TM) for atrial
fibrillation and stroke; deCODE MI(TM) for heart attack; and deCODE ProCa(TM)
for prostate cancer. deCODE is delivering on the promise of the new
genetics.(SM) Visit us on the web at www.decode.com; on our diagnostics
website at www.decodediagnostics.com; and, for our pioneering personal genome
analysis service, at www.decodeme.com.


Any statements contained in this presentation that relate to future plans,
events or performance are forward-looking statements within the meaning of the
Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These forward-looking
statements are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties that could cause
actual results, and the timing of events, to differ materially from those
described in the forward-looking statements. These risks and uncertainties
include, among others, those relating to our ability to obtain financing and
to form collaborative relationships, uncertainty regarding potential future
deterioration in the market for auction rate securities which could result in
additional permanent impairment charges, our ability to develop and market
diagnostic products, the level of third party reimbursement for our products,
risks related to preclinical and clinical development of pharmaceutical
products, including the identification of compounds and the completion of
clinical trials, the effect of government regulation and the regulatory
approval processes, market acceptance, our ability to obtain and protect
intellectual property rights for our products, dependence on collaborative
relationships, the effect of competitive products, industry trends and other
risks identified in deCODE's filings with the Securities and Exchange
Commission, including, without limitation, the risk factors identified in our
most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K and any updates to those risk factors
filed from time to time in our Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q or Current
Reports on Form 8-K. deCODE undertakes no obligation to update or alter these
forward-looking statements as a result of new information, future events or
otherwise.


Contacts:
Edward Farmer Gisli Arnason Joy Bessenger
+1 212 343 2819 +354 570 1825 +1 212 481 3891
edward.farmer@decode.is gisli.arnason@decode.is joy.bessenger@decode.is


SOURCE deCODE genetics


 
Tuesday, April 29, 2008 2:34 PM

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