Assay for the detection of biomarkers associated with pregnancy related conditions
AssigneeNewcastle Innovation Limited
InventorRoger Smith
Life of this patent
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Abstract
The invention relates to screening methods for determination of the risk of preterm delivery and/or pregnancy associated conditions. The methods involve detection of the level of one or more biomarkers in a biological sample from the patient. In particular, in embodiments of the invention there are provided methods for determining the risk of pre-eclampsia and other hypertensive disorders, and intrauterine growth retardation (IGUR).
Claims27
A method for identifying a woman with an increased risk of premature delivery, comprising the steps of:
- (a) obtaining a biological sample from a pregnant patient after week 12 and prior to week 37 of pregnancy;
- (b) determining the level of at least one biomarker in the sample, the biomarker being selected from the group consisting of transferrin, inter-alpha trypsin inhibitor heavy chain H4, apolipoprotein B48 receptor, alpha-1B-glycoprotein, antithrombin III and apolipoprotein A-IV precursor;
- (c) comparing the level of the at least one biomarker with a level characteristic of normal pregnancy;
- and
- (d) determining whether the patient has an increased risk of premature delivery from the comparison.
A method for determining whether a given pregnancy is likely to proceed to full term, comprising the steps of:
- (a) obtaining a biological sample from a pregnant patient after week 12 and prior to week 37 of pregnancy;
- (b) determining the level of at least one biomarker in the sample, the biomarker being selected from the group consisting of transferrin, inter-alpha trypsin inhibitor heavy chain H4, apolipoprotein B48 receptor, transferrin, alpha-1B-glycoprotein, antithrombin III and apolipoprotein A-IV precursor;
- (c) comparing the level of the at least one biomarker with a level characteristic of normal pregnancy;
- and
- (d) determining whether the pregnancy of the patient is likely to proceed to term from the comparison.
A method for identifying a woman with an increased risk of pre-eclampsia or developing a hytertensive disorder associated with pregnancy, comprising the steps of:
- (a) obtaining a biological sample from a pregnant patient after week 12 and prior to week 37 of pregnancy;
- (b) determining the level of at least one biomarker in the sample, the biomarker being selected from the group consisting of transferrin, alpha-1B-glycoprotein, antithrombin III, haptoglobin and transthyretin;
- (c) comparing the level of the at least one biomarker with a level characteristic of normal pregnancy:
- and
- (d) determining whether the patient has an increased risk of pre-eclampsia or developing a hypertensive disorder from the comparison.
A method for screening or pre-screening pregnant women to identify those pregnant women with a low risk of developing a hytertensive disorder associated with pregnancy, comprising the steps of:
- (a) obtaining a biological sample from a pregnant patient after week 12 and prior to week 37 of pregnancy;
- (b) determining the level of at least one biomarker in the sample, the biomarker being selected from the group consisting of transferrin, alpha-1B-glycoprotein, antithrombin III, haptoglobin and transthyretin;
- (c) comparing the level of the at least one biomarker with a level characteristic of normal pregnancy;
- and
- (d) determining whether the patient is at low risk of developing a hypertensive disorder from the comparison.
A method for identifying a woman with an increased risk of IUGR, comprising the steps of:
- (a) obtaining a biological sample from a pregnant patient after week 12 and prior to week 37 of pregnancy;
- (b) determining the level of at least one biomarker in the sample, the biomarker being selected from the group consisting of transferrin, inter-alpha trypsin inhibitor heavy chain H4, antithrombin III, haptoglobin and transthyretin;
- (c) comparing the level of the at least one biomarker with a level characteristic of normal pregnancy;
- and
- (d) determining whether the patient has an increased risk of IUGR from the comparison.
A method for screening or pre-screening pregnant women to identify those pregnant women with a low risk of developing IUGR, comprising the steps of:
- (a) obtaining a biological sample from a pregnant patient after week 12 and prior to week 37 of pregnancy;
- (b) determining the level of at least one biomarker in the sample, the biomarker being selected from the group consisting of transferrin, inter-alpha trypsin inhibitor heavy chain H4, antithrombin III, haptoglobin and transthyretin;
- (c) comparing the level of the at least one biomarker with a level characteristic of a normal pregnancy;
- and
- (d) determining whether the patient has a low risk of developing IGUR from the comparison.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.